[Reading Corner] National Exhibition Standards Committee Chairman Chen Xian: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalization of the exhibition industry.

On September 24th, at 3:00 PM, the sub-forum of the 2020 Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo, titled "Development Forum for Maritime Silk Road Exhibition Industry," was held at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Conference Center.

Virtual exhibitions and digitalization have emerged as a promising market.

Mr. Chen Jian, Chairman of the National Exhibition Standardization Technology Committee and Honorary Chairman of the International Exhibitions Association, stated in his speech that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalization of the exhibition industry. Virtual exhibitions are rapidly developing and co-exhibiting with physical exhibitions. Currently, discussions on the positioning and role of virtual exhibitions have become a key focus in the industry, and the organization and development of virtual exhibitions are becoming a hallmark of cross-border exhibition industry. Virtual exhibitions and digitalization have become a blue ocean for small and medium-sized IT companies.

First, the exhibition industry's digitalization should be objectively, comprehensively, and rationally positioned. "The value of digitalization in the exhibition industry lies not in the products and services themselves, but in empowering the entire exhibition industry."

Second, the exhibition industry should encourage collaboration between exhibitions and the IT industry in an open, proactive, and inclusive manner. Utilize big data to connect customers remotely, utilize AI, VR, AR, and IVR technologies to provide experiences with the same value as physical exhibitions, and utilize cloud platforms to manage exhibitors and audiences on a large scale. Additionally, Mr. Chen Jian emphasized that customer demand is the driving force for technological innovation. Technological innovation should be integrated with business and ecosystem innovation, which will provide a broader path for the digitalization of the exhibition industry.

Exhibitions are an important link in the industrial and supply chain.

Mr. Zhu Xiangyin, Vice Chairman of the China Exhibition Economic Research Association, stated in his speech that industrial and supply chains are the core of building a dual circulation. Exhibitions are an important link in the industrial and supply chain.

Mr. Zhu Xiangyin pointed out that in the face of the situation of the United States' comprehensive containment, the global economic recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic further limiting China's exports, domestic industries should further expand openness, maintain multilateralism, promote the construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative, and build more complete industrial and supply chains to create a virtuous cycle of economy and society.

Chu Xiangyin believes that China should strengthen independent innovation, address gaps in its industrial chain, and leverage its strategic advantages in transferring industries to the central and western regions to ensure the security of its industrial and supply chains. At the same time, it should strengthen cooperation within China's central and western regions, as well as with Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, and adopt innovative investment promotion and exhibition service models to better serve the restructuring and upgrading of industrial and supply chains.