Trade fairs in Shanghai: Electronics & Photonics

Why it matters

China's flagship state-backed industrial fair, running since 1999, covering robotics, automation, machine tools and industrial software. Around 3,000 exhibitors — but roughly 72% are domestic Chinese manufacturers, which tells you the balance honestly. Good for reading where Chinese industry is heading; harder to stand out in as a foreign supplier.

Who is in the room

Manufacturing plant buyers, systems integrators, robotics and automation purchasers

Good fit for

• Automation and robotics suppliers with a clear technical edge
• Companies benchmarking Chinese competitors
• Industrial software vendors

Organiser

Shanghai Expo Group and partners

Why it matters

The oldest and broadest electronics show in China, built around basic components and manufacturing equipment rather than consumer gadgets. Useful for meeting component makers and EMS capacity in one place.

Who is in the room

Component and semiconductor makers, EMS and manufacturing equipment buyers, automotive and industrial electronics sourcing

Good fit for

• Component and semiconductor suppliers
• Electronics manufacturing equipment vendors
• Buyers sourcing EMS and assembly capacity

Why it matters

Running since 1986 and backed by the China Electricity Council, so it reaches the state utility buyers that newer energy shows do not. China is the largest power-equipment market in the world, but procurement runs through the utilities.

Who is in the room

Power utilities, grid operators, switchgear and transformer makers, storage and smart-grid suppliers

Good fit for

• Grid and switchgear equipment makers
• Storage and smart-grid technology vendors
• Testing and certification providers

Organiser

China Electricity Council

Why it matters

Chinese AI compute build-out is driving a large data centre construction cycle, and liquid cooling in particular is an area where foreign technology still leads. Runs with an English-language programme, which is unusual.

Who is in the room

Data centre operators, liquid cooling and power infrastructure suppliers, cloud and AI compute buyers

Good fit for

• Liquid cooling and thermal infrastructure vendors
• Power and UPS suppliers
• Data centre design and operations firms

Why it matters

Run by SEMI and in China since 1988, so the international framing and technical programme are genuine. The audience is Chinese fabs and packaging houses with real capex.

Who is in the room

Fabs, equipment and materials buyers, EDA and packaging firms

Good fit for

• Equipment, materials and metrology suppliers
• Cleanroom and subsystem vendors

Organiser

SEMI & China Electronics Chamber of Commerce

Why it matters

The largest solar and storage event in the world — 380,000 sqm, 3,000+ exhibitors, and genuinely global attendance because China dominates the supply chain. If you are a European developer, EPC or utility, this is where you meet every module, inverter and battery supplier in one place. If you sell equipment or materials into that chain, your customers are all here too.

Who is in the room

Project developers, EPCs, utilities, equipment and materials buyers, investors

Good fit for

• Project developers and EPCs sourcing modules and storage
• Manufacturing equipment and materials suppliers
• Inverter, BOS and grid technology firms

Organiser

Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association, CRES, Shanghai New Energy Industry Association

Why it matters

GSMA-run, so the format and language are familiar to Western tech companies. Best treated as a partnering and positioning event with Chinese carriers and platform players rather than a lead-generation fair.

Who is in the room

Carriers, device makers, enterprise IT, investors

Good fit for

• Telecoms and enterprise software vendors
• Companies seeking Chinese carrier or platform partnerships

Organiser

GSMA

Why it matters

Messe München's electronics fair in China — the 2026 edition ran 90,000 sqm with 1,568 exhibitors and roughly 92,700 visitors. Strongly weighted towards EV and smart-vehicle electronics, which is where Chinese demand is genuinely growing rather than merely large.

Who is in the room

Electronics design engineers, EV and automotive electronics buyers, component purchasers

Good fit for

• Component, sensor and power-electronics suppliers
• Automotive electronics and EV supply chain
• Test, measurement and EDA vendors

Organiser

Messe München (Shanghai)