Chinese AI search innovator DeepSeek and trendy toy giant Pop Mart—both making global headlines this year—will appear at the 21st China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), scheduled for May 22 to 26, 2025, according to an official press conference held on May 14.
Recognized as one of China's most influential cultural expos, ICIF 2025 will feature 6,280 exhibitors presenting more than 120,000 cultural products. This includes 305 overseas exhibitors from more than 65 countries and regions, including major international names such as the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The main exhibition venue is in Halls 9 to 16 of the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, with an additional 52 sub-venues spread across the city.
At the main venue, three general exhibition halls will host exhibitions organized by delegations from provinces and cities across China, including those from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the rich diversity of Chinese culture through some of the country's most representative cultural artifacts and experiences.
Five other specialized halls will focus on distinct sectors: international cultural trade; intangible cultural heritage, arts & crafts, and art supplies; cultural consumption and tourism; art & design, fashion and cultural technology finance; and the film, copyright, gaming, and e-sports industries.
The International Cultural Trade Hall of ICIF 2024
The Cultural Tourism and Consumption Hall of ICIF 2024
A major highlight of this year's fair is the first-ever "Chinese Culture Going Global" section within the International Cultural Trade Hall, which signals China's firm commitment to expanding its cultural influence while providing space for Chinese enterprises to showcase their cultural exports, focusing on digital content such as web novels, dramas, and online games.
Another debut feature is the International Food Section within the same hall, curated to offer attendees a global taste tour with a selection of authentic cuisines from participating countries and regions.
As artificial intelligence brings about revolutionary changes across industries, this year's ICIF will also highlight tech innovation. One of the general halls, the GBA Cultural Innovation Hall, will house a newly introduced AI zone to showcase cutting-edge applications, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), extended reality (XR), 5G, the metaverse, and generative AI models.
Throughout the exhibition halls, humanoid robots will also be on hand to guide the visitors.
ICIF 2024
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Photo | ICIF
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
