The 13th Annual International IC-China Conference & Exhibition (IIC-China 2008), an event gathering electronics industry experts, was held in Chengdu, Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai from late February until early March 2008. It attracted more than 400 international IC giants and domestic vendors from mainland China.

IIC-China is the top event for China's IC industry with many of the hottest IC technologies unveiled or put into practical applications for the first time. As a result, IIC-China is also seen as a barometer for China's IC technology trends.

Beijing Gathers Four Industrial Clusters

The Beijing stop of IIC-China 2008 was held at China World Trade Center from March 6 to 7. Thanks to its abundance of talent and a good location, Beijing's electronics industry has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years to become one of the most important centers for China's electronics industry. Beijing has now established four clusters of suppliers in China's hi-tech industry, namely semiconductors, mobile communications, PC & networks, and monitors. Top suppliers include Lenovo, Datang Telecom, BOE, Huaqi, Yadu, SMIC, Vimicro, and other leading industry players. Beijing also plays the leading role in setting industry standards for China's home grown technologies including TD-SCDMA, Next Generation Internet, SCDMA and Mobile phone TV.

The Beijing stop of IIC-China attracted exhibitors like Altium, Atmel, Guangzhou Zhou Li Gong, Hangzhou Li Er Da. Their new products and technologies provide comprehensive solutions for electronic manufacturers in Beijing and its neighboring cities.

The Largest IC Market in the World

China has been the world's largest IC market since 2005 and total sales reached US$46.9 billion in 2006. The 2007 Electronic Information Industry Economy Forum Gazette released by China's Ministry of Information Industry revealed that information technology industry sales hit 56 trillion RMB in 2007 – up 18 percent; and its gross added value reached 1.3 trillion RMB – up 18.2 percent.

Mark A. Saunderson, President of Global Sources' Electronics Business Unit, said: "Mainland China's electronics industry remains robust despite the US-led economic slowdown." Research shows that IIC-China has become a major event for engineers - 98% of attendees consider it much more effective than other similar events to find new products, solutions, and technology suppliers. They also believe the solutions and technologies shown at IIC-China will make a positive impact on their future projects and designs. Only 24 percent of respondents said they would visit other exhibitions in the next 12 months.

The huge opportunities in China's IC market are attracting the attention of top global enterprises, which see IIC-China as a springboard to tap the China market. Therefore, Global Sources plans to expand the IIC-China event schedule from four times in 2008 to seven in 2009, while adding new locations in Wuhan and Xi’an.

Showcasing the Latest IC Technologies

For the last 13 years, IIC-China has been a major event showcasing the latest IC technologies and application solutions. Each year, IIC-China attracts a large number of design engineers and technical and procurement managers to attend. This year, the number of exhibitors increased 40 percent and booth number exceeded 1400, up 30 percent from 2007. The event attracted 36,000 visitors, who were all industry professionals. IIC-China has also established itself as the must-attend event for engineers, technical and procurement managers in the industry. It's currently the largest IC and high-end components exhibition in China.

Our journalist at the venue witnessed the launch of the updated “Designer 6.8” from Altium, an EDA manufacturer. It added 300 important functions with its newest 3D PCB visual engine the significant highlight.