The 2026 World Manufacturing Convention ended with 790 project agreements worth RMB 363.4 billion, or about US$54.2 billion, the organizers said at a Sept. 29 briefing in Anhui. The convention ran from Sept. 20 to 23 under the theme "Intelligent Manufacturing for a Better Future" and featured keynote addresses, business matchmaking, research and data releases, and exhibitions.
Of the 790 projects, 708 were advanced manufacturing projects representing RMB 331.7 billion. The agreements included an advanced semiconductor research and development and manufacturing line. The 217 exhibits, 18 percent more than the previous year, included a 180-qubit superconducting quantum processor and BEST, the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak.
Guests and exhibitors came from a record 54 countries and regions. The United Kingdom served as guest country of honor, the president of Côte d'Ivoire sent a congratulatory letter and 11 international programs were held. The 522 international delegates, more than half of all guests, included 88 diplomats and partner-government representatives, 205 representatives of international organizations and business associations, 221 representatives of foreign-based Fortune Global 500 companies and multinationals, and eight international researchers and subject-matter experts.
Sichuan attended as guest province, alongside delegations from 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, Hong Kong and Macao. Also taking part were 160 representatives of 38 centrally administered state-owned enterprises and 628 executives of Chinese companies.
Exhibitions covered 80,000 square meters, with 1,230 exhibitors presenting more than 15,000 products and technologies. Attendance reached 74,000 in person and 4.54 million online, and more than 5,900 on-site transactions exceeded RMB 600 million. Twenty-seven matchmaking sessions and programs produced 87 agreements or memoranda, and the "Central SOEs Visit Anhui" program generated 16 agreements representing RMB 39 billion, including a Wuhu Economic Development Zone big data center valued above RMB 10 billion.
