The World Manufacturing Convention (“the Convention”), a major gathering of global leaders in the manufacturing sector, has closed in Hefei, Anhui Province, China after logging more than 430 signed projects with a total value of RMB 447 billion (US$ 70.19 billion) in investment deals.

The Convention brought together over 4,000 attendees, including more than 100 executives from Fortune Global 500 companies and about 500 representatives from domestic and international companies in the manufacturing industry. Their interactions at various forums and with vendors have pushed forward many initiatives, with high tech and smart manufacturing being the most prominent. 61 new deals signed are in the fields of integrated circuits, high definition displays, voice recognition, new energy vehicles, and advanced materials, with total investment reaching RMB 88 billion (US$ 13.81 billion). Other areas of investment include projects and products in the areas of smart chips, microelectronic RRAM, the Internet of Things, and more.

“The Convention has been a smashing success,” said Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairperson of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). “The number of deals closed, and the resulting investment, affirms the strength of the local manufacturing sector. This Convention takes place at a critical moment. We can see an emerging wave of technological revolution, where the next-generation telecommunication technology is merging with advanced manufacturing, and forums like this are vital to ensuring that world-leading companies can connect with suppliers who are on the leading edge of these changes.”

At the Convention, Christian Wulff, Global Chairman of the Global Alliance of SMEs (GASME) and former President of Germany, outlined the “Hefei World Manufacturing Convention Manifesto” (“the Manifesto”), which stresses the importance of innovation in the industry, encourages the development of more environmentally-friendly technologies, and calls for multilateral trade and more integrated cooperation across jurisdictions.

To foster deeper international cooperation, during the Convention the organizing committee held a matchmaking event, which led to over 430 signed projects in sectors such as digital information, home electronics, new materials and new energy, equipment manufacturing, automobiles, and biomedical engineering, among others. Also, the Convention featured 19 forums and panel discussions to explore the future development of the industry in areas such as smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, integrated circuit, smart homes, and more.

To learn more about the Convention, visit: http://wmconvention.org/en