China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF)

The China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) — known in China as "the No.1 tech show" — has been held in Shenzhen every November since 1999. It is co-hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Shenzhen Municipal Government. The 28th edition runs 26–28 November 2026 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an district.

CHTF is not a conventional product fair. It sits between a trade show, a technology-transfer marketplace and a policy showcase: alongside company stands you will find university and research-institute results looking for industrial partners, provincial innovation delegations, and the year's national priorities on display. If you want to see where Chinese industrial technology is heading before it reaches export catalogues, this is the fair.

Practical value for a sourcing buyer is highest in electronics, smart devices, automation, energy storage and new materials — and in the fact that Shenzhen's entire manufacturing base sits within an hour's drive, so factory visits can be attached to the same trip.

Shenzhen World is one of the largest exhibition venues in the world — a single 1.8 km spine with halls opening off both sides. CHTF spreads across it in themed exhibitions, and the official "Guide Maps" published on chtf.com before the fair are the reliable source for which hall holds what in a given year.

• Semiconductors & Integrated Circuits — chips, EDA, packaging and test, equipment and materials.
• Artificial Intelligence & Robotics — humanoid and service robots, embodied intelligence, industrial robotics, machine vision.
• Electronic Information & Big Data — computing infrastructure, cloud, industrial software, data services.
• Low-Altitude Economy & Commercial Spaceflight — drones, eVTOL, satellite applications; the newest and fastest-growing section.
• Energy Storage, Batteries & Clean Energy — cells and packs, BMS, storage systems, photovoltaics and hydrogen.
• New Materials — advanced composites, functional films, electronic-grade materials.
• Smart Ports & Rail Transit — port automation, logistics equipment, rail technology.
• Smart Agriculture & Digital Rural Development, and Consumer Electronics (3E Asia) — the most directly sourceable hall for consumer product buyers.

Alongside the halls run technology-transfer sessions, provincial project showcases and forums; the exhibitor and project catalogue on chtf.com lets you filter by technology before you arrive.

Venue: Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center — 深圳国际会展中心（宝安）
No. 1 Zhancheng Road, Fuhai Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen. In Baidu or Amap search 深圳国际会展中心.

Do not confuse it with the old venue. The Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (深圳会展中心) in Futian is a different building about 45 km away. CHTF is at the Bao'an venue. Check your taxi driver's destination before you set off.

By metro — Line 20 to Convention & Exhibition Center North (会展中心北) or Convention & Exhibition City (会展城); Line 12 also serves the venue at Convention & Exhibition City. Line 20 connects directly to Airport North, so the airport-to-venue run is about 15 minutes.

From Bao'an Airport (SZX) — metro Line 20 direct, roughly 15 minutes; taxi ¥40–80, 20–25 minutes. This is the closest major Chinese venue to its airport.

From Futian / central Shenzhen — Line 11 to Bitou, change to Line 20, about 45–55 minutes; taxi ¥120–160, 45–60 minutes depending on traffic.

From Hong Kong — high-speed rail to Shenzhen North (about 20 minutes from West Kowloon), then Line 5 → Line 20, roughly 50 minutes total from the border.

Inside — the central concourse is 1.8 km long. Enter at the hall closest to your first meeting rather than the main entrance, and use the internal shuttle carts.

Register online in advance at chtf.com or through the fair's WeChat account. Registration is free for professional visitors. Fill in your details accurately — the name and passport number you enter are what the gate readers check.

Entry is by passport scan. Once your registration is approved, you scan your passport at the gate to enter, with unlimited entries and exits across all three days. Keep the passport you registered with on you at all times; a photocopy is not accepted at the gate.

Provide a reachable mobile number. Registration confirmations and any entry issues are handled by SMS and WeChat. An unreachable number is the most common reason visitors get stuck at the counter.

Group visits and media have separate registration tracks on the same site. If you are travelling with a delegation, register as a group — it gets you a dedicated counter instead of the general queue.

Visitor support: sarah@zhenweiexpo.com, +86 151 3061 3049. The venue switchboard is +86 755 8524 2014.

Business cards. Bilingual, with a WeChat QR code. At CHTF many of the most interesting stands are research institutes and early-stage companies whose staff will only follow up via WeChat.

Visa. M business visa is standard. Note that Shenzhen also has a 5-day special economic zone visa for some nationalities via Hong Kong, but rules change often — confirm current requirements with the Chinese embassy before relying on it.

Weather. Late November in Shenzhen is 18–25 °C, dry and pleasant — the best weather of the exhibition year in south China. A light jacket for the evenings is enough.

Hotels. Bao'an near the venue and the airport is the practical choice and much cheaper than Futian. Line 11 and Line 20 connect Bao'an to the city, so you are not stranded in the evenings.

Combine it with factory visits. This is the biggest reason to come. Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou factories are 30–90 minutes away — arrange visits for the days on either side of the fair, and confirm them before you fly, not from the taxi.

Three days is short. CHTF runs Thursday to Saturday. Fly in Wednesday, use the fair days for stands and forums, and keep Monday–Tuesday or the following week for factories.

Technology stands are not sales stands. Many exhibitors are showing capability, not a catalogue. Ask directly whether a technology is in production, at what volume, and who manufactures it — the answer separates a real supplier from a demo.

Payments and apps. Alipay or WeChat Pay set up before you fly, a translation app, and a VPN if you need Google services.