HANGZHOU, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) -- An expo highlighting China's efforts to deepen global digital trade cooperation concluded on Sunday in Hangzhou, a tech hub in east China's Zhejiang Province, with a series of new product launches and announcements.
According to China Central Television (CCTV), the fifth Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), held from 23rd to 27th September, featured 226 debuts, including product launches, premieres and exhibitions, and attracted more than 50,000 participants from 163 countries and regions.
A total of 996 AI companies, nearly three times the number at the previous expo, attended the event and showcased more than 100 AI application scenarios.
"Through this expo, we have realised that China's AI sector is garnering more attention and recognition around the world, and Chinese solutions are empowering the development of digital trade worldwide. We are shifting from merely showcasing products and technologies toward fostering chains for product and technology cooperation, ultimately creating a growing digital trade ecosystem," said Li Yang, Secretary-General of the GDTE organising committee's secretariat.
The China-Arab AI International Cooperation and AFDE First China-Arab Digital Dialogue, held during this year's expo, brought together more than 200 participants from China and abroad. Seven cooperation projects worth US$255 million were signed, covering areas including robotics and smart manufacturing.
This year's exhibition also featured a dialogue on BRICS special economic zones, focusing on practical cooperation. In 2025. The number of Chinese enterprises engaged in trade with other BRICS members exceeded 300,000 for the first time, up 8.8 percent year on year. The China Centre for Cooperation on Special Economic Zones in BRICS Countries was also launched in Hangzhou last year.
In addition, the "Global Digital Trade Development Report 2026" was unveiled at the event, outlining the scale and structure of global digital trade, technological transformation and innovative practices, while also exploring future industry trends.
The global digital trade sector has demonstrated resilience amid multiple external pressures, with export value reaching US$7.75 trillion in 2025, a 7.1 percent year-on-year increase, according to the report.