High-tech wins fans at Canton Fair

VR simulators cause a stir as event looks to retain its appeal for foreign merchants

Chinese-made products on show at the Canton Fair are taking on a new and trendy image thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality.

One of the most crowded stands at the consumer electronics and information products pavilion has two gaming machines that claim to use "9-D" VR technology.

The stand has had a constant stream of visitors since the fair - officially known as the China Import and Export Fair - opened on April 15 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

Visitors can experience riding a roller coaster or firing a rifle on a battlefield by wearing a VR headset and standing on a moving pad.

Liang Xingmei, a sales manager for Guangzhou Zhuoyuan Machinery Co, which makes game machines, says her company's orders have risen at least 30 percent at this year's Canton Fair compared with the previous session in October.

The company was founded as a manufacturer of hydraulic systems 16 years ago and entered the multidimensional gaming business around 2009. It began to release VR simulators last year and first displayed them at the fair's autumn session.

"We're one of few Chinese companies that can make a full set of VR simulators rather than offering only a headset," Liang says. "VR is the hottest technology in consumer electronics, and the Canton Fair needs such new products to maintain its appeal with overseas buyers."

Malik Imran, marketing director for Imar International, a trading company in Pakistan, has attended the Canton Fair for the past five years and says he is excited to see something new.

"I came to the fair looking for machinery products but found the VR simulators quite attractive. I think they will have a market in Dubai," he says, adding that he plans to visit Zhuoyuan Machinery's factory for further negotiations.

"The fair may lose its appeal if it just plays the card of competitive prices and doesn't offer something new," he says.

Organizers of the Canton Fair have been stepping up efforts in recent years to explore new fields such as new energy, pet-related goods and outdoor spa facilities.

xujingxi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/22/2016 page30)