CIOE

Event Update

CIOE will take place between 10.09.2025 and 12.09.2025. The exhibition will be held in the Shenzhen World Exhibition Centre.

A Brief Overview of CIOE

CIOE is currently the biggest exhibition servicing the optoelectronics' industry on a global scale — a massive marketplace for Chinese buyers to introduce themselves to the latest innovations in the field and an information platform to boot. Short for the Chinese International Optoelectronics Exposition, the event takes place in Shenzhen and offers an unrivalled opportunity to meet with buyers in China and establish a presence in the world’s second-largest economy.

You don’t need to think about how to look for a hotel and make reservations. GETA Ltd takes care of all of that so you don’t have to worry. We deliver affordable hotels for CIOE, no matter how many people are in your group. Tell us your budget and we’ll send you a list of the best deals for hotels close to the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. Commuting will take a few minutes, so you can focus on presenting your business to the best of your abilities. We have connections with hotels in Shenzhen at every price point. Our mission is to make business travel affordable. In addition to accommodation for exhibitions, GETA Ltd has a large portfolio of bonus services like arranging airport transfers. 

Why Your Visit Is Worth It?

CIOE translates to a huge return on investment for anyone who exhibits in China. The exhibition is the key driving force behind sales on an international level and China remains an exciting, still-growing market with a lot of opportunities. Chinese buyers are heavily interested in international companies. All the expenses you pay are instantly returned upon arrival. CIOE has expanded a lot in numbers and even the pandemic has not slowed it down: 

• 3000+ international exhibitors;
• 89,000+ international trade visitors from 70 countries;
• 694 delegations;
• 3,825 optoelectronic brands, with 30% overseas brands;
• 160,000+ square metres of exhibition space used.
• 80+ forums with 550 speakers in total

Industry Relevance

It has been exactly 20 years since CIOE appeared on the scene in 1999 and fully revolutionised the optoelectronics' industry. The annual event has given Chinese and international manufacturers the opportunity to reach for new horizons and create an in-depth snapshot of the trends coming to the forefront. One of the most impressive achievements is that organisers manage to run six smaller sub-expos that are tightly specialised in one area — Optical Communications, Lasers, Infrared Applications, Precision Optics, Lens and Camera Modules, Data Centres, Optoelectronic Sensors and Photonics Innovations. 

Exhibitors benefit from increased visibility in front of an untapped audience. Play your cards right, and you return home with sales leads, direct orders and lucrative partnerships. CIOE is a highly effective cross-border procurement program. Chinese buyers are incredibly eager to purchase and you’re guaranteed to boost sales numbers significantly. Attending also offers insight into how the local market responds to what you’re putting out. 

Who Are You Going to Meet?

As we have already emphasised, CIOE has a massive industry appeal and it’s time to explore what that means in numbers and information about the audience. The exhibition halls are visited by manufacturers, service providers, integrators, distributors, traders, agencies, scientific institutes, universities, investment and financing institutions and contractors. Close to 28% are employed at companies with 500 people and over. Close to 80% of visitors have an active role in the decision making process and over 28% are the final decision makers, which means you have an easy time connecting with qualified buyers looking to make purchases. 

Aside from connecting with existing suppliers and placing orders, visitors attend in order to collect information and search for new products. Exhibitors can look forward to making contacts with buyers from the 9 application industries - Optical Communication, Information Processing and Storage; Advanced Manufacturing with Photonics; Consumer Electronics & Entertainment; Defense and Security; Semiconductor Processing and Manufacturing; Energy; Medical; Sensing and Measurement, and Lighting & Displays.

The last edition made a significant jump in visitor numbers and organisers predict that this growth is still picking up steam. CIOE has seen a 30% increase in international visitors. The countries that appear at the forefront include India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Russia, the USA, and Singapore. Nearly 30% of all exhibitors were companies outside China — another statistic that is slowly improving.

Additional Value of Attendance

To get to the top and network with top-tier buyers, you have to sign up for the CIOE VIP Buyer Program. The exclusive program targets key buyers and decision makers from the optoelectronic industry, who have specific sourcing needs or purchasing plans. It’s a powerful resource that helps exhibitors break into new markets and make substantial deals. The last edition saw close to 1000 meet-ups that were organised beforehand.

Alongside the exhibition portion runs the China International Optoelectronic Conference (CIOEC) that delivers an impressive lineup of experts, leaders and scholars to deliver impressive talks and presentations. The focus falls more on academic, industrial and application topics. You’ll get to learn about the potential for optics, laser, infrared, and various emerging application fields to fully change the way we live. Of course, you cover topics such as sustainable development, research and overall market trends around the world. If you want to stay up to date about what’s happening in your field, then this is where you can get the best information first hand. 

This is only one of the many conferences that take place during the exhibition. On non-show days, you can sit down for one of the many CIOE Optoelectronic Industry Forums, which explore the entire optoelectronic industry ecosystem. What brings in a lot of visitors is the focus on cutting-edge technologies and their applications. The key forums are Communication Forums, Sensing Forums, Optics Forums, Laser Forums, Infrared Forums and Photonics Forums. That’s still only a portion of what’s happening. 

If you can’t personally attend, you’ll be happy to know that there are a lot of ways to consume a lot of the content being generated during CIOE. Between editions, organisers release a stream of content. This comes in the form of webinars, saloons, receptions, matchmakings, e-newsletter, magazine, social media, and printed magazine.