CEA, TWICE, U.S. Execs Turn Out For SINOCES
By Steve Smith -- TWICE, 7/25/2005
QINGDAO, CHINA— When certain U.S. executives of several CE companies were asked after the Fourth of July, “What did you do during the weekend?” they had a unique answer: They attended the 2005 China International Consumer Electronics Show (SINOCES), held here July 1-4.
The third annual show is China's largest CE event and was sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), producers of the International CES, in partnership with the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce at the Qingdao International Convention Center.
The third annual SINOCES attracted more than 70,000 attendees and sold out more than 24,000 square meters of exhibit space to 400 global exhibitors, CEA said. With more than 100 foreign exhibitors from 50 countries, SINOCES 2005 significantly expanded its international scope and provided an inroad to the Chinese consumer electronics market for more than 20,000 international buyers. Several major U.S. retailers attended, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack and Wal-Mart, as well as a delegation from the U.S. Department of Commerce, CEA added.
Several SINOCES exhibitors such as Epson, Haier, Hisense, Samsung and Sony also exhibited at the 2006 International CES, according to CEA
“Partnering with the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce to sponsor SINOCES provided a strong opportunity to reach out to our industry counterparts in China and promote CEA's premier tradeshow, the International CES, to an international audience,” said Gary Shapiro, president/CEO of CEA.
Shapiro also gave a keynote address at the International Consumer Electronics Forum held in conjunction with SINOCES 2005. In his speech he discussed the growing importance of China to the global consumer electronics market and the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-China trade relations.
Shapiro also headed an international delegation meeting with Madam Wu Yi, vice premier of China. Technology trade association heads from Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam participated. Shapiro informed the group of the growing political challenges in the United States of maintaining free trade with China. He asked Madam Wu Yi for leadership and help in this month's trade talks between senior government officials from both countries, CEA said.
In addition our own Marcia Grand, publisher of TWICE, was a featured speaker at the China International CE Channel Development Forum, which was sponsored by TWICE CHINA, a news publication for that country that debuted earlier this year and is published by TWICE's parent company Reed Business Information in a joint venture with International Data Group (IDG).
