China's care expo opens doors to foreign device makers

China's annual expo for care and rehabilitation devices will feature exhibitors from outside the mainland for first time in October, according to its organizers.

The expo, hosted by the China Disabled Person's Federation, will be held at the Beijing's National Convention Center on Oct 11.

More than 350 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions as well as 50,000 visitors are expected during the three-day expo.

Li Xi, head of the China Assistive Devices and Technology Center for Persons with Disabilities, one of the organizers, said the expo has been held for 11 consecutive years and that the 2018 event will be the first to include exhibitors from outside the mainland.

"The event will be a shortcut for foreign care and rehabilitation device manufacturers to enter the Chinese market," he said.

Cai Dongxiang of Guangzhou Poly Jinhan Exhibition, another organizer, said the foreign enterprises' participation will "help bring about the latest technologies and achievements in the field".

Exhibitors from outside the mainland include companies from Germany, Iceland, the United States, Taiwan and Macao, taking up 28 percent of all exhibitors, organizers said.

This year's event will include three professional pavilions and eight featured areas, including those on rehab and assistive devices, smart technology and barrier-free facilities.

International conferences, matchmaking meetings and news conferences for new products and technologies will be held concurrently to promote cooperation among participants.

The State Council issued a plan on Oct 27 to promote the development of the rehab and assistive products industry, aimed at meeting the growing demand of rehab services in China and strengthening its competitiveness.

The Cabinet said the industry output is expected to surpass 700 billion yuan ($103.3 billion) by 2020, as world-class Chinese brands and related industrial clusters emerge. The nation's share of the high-end market will also see significant increase over the same period, it said.