Hosted jointly by the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and the Ministry of Commerce, and co-organized by the People’s Government of Hangzhou, the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, and the Foreign Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, the 4th Global Digital Trade Expo (referred to as “Digital Trade Expo”) will be held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center from September 25 to 29, 2025.
In 50 days, global attention will once again focus on Hangzhou, Zhejiang, where enterprises from around the world will gather to continue the exciting story of “Digital Trade: Connecting Businesses Globally.” This expo, hosted by the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and the Ministry of Commerce, and co-organized by the People’s Government of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce, and the Foreign Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, will take place at the Hangzhou International Expo Center from September 25 to 29, 2025.
This year’s expo will anchor the overall goal of “Joining hands to build digital trade into a new engine for common development and inject new impetus into global economic growth,” while continuously enhancing its role as an international platform for “discussing cooperation, promoting development, and sharing achievements.” Preparations are now in the final sprint stage, with numerous highlights ready to unfold.
Trade Promotion
A Gathering of Merchants, Upgraded Platform, and Promising Results
Digital trade represents a new trend in international trade development, and the 4th Digital Trade Expo will further highlight its core function of promoting trade.
Exhibitors and merchants from around the world will seek precise cooperation in the “1+7” exhibition areas: 1 main digital trade pavilion and 7 characteristic industry pavilions focusing on artificial intelligence, Silk Road E-commerce, smart mobility, digital entertainment, digital healthcare, smart spaces, and smart logistics.
The expo has achieved remarkable results in attracting investment and exhibitors, with 1,614 exhibitors already registered, exceeding last year’s total. In terms of inviting professional merchants, global outreach efforts are unprecedented: pre-registrations for professional merchants have surpassed 24,047 (including 7,012 international merchants from 50 countries and regions, and 17,035 domestic merchants). It is expected that over 40,000 professional merchants will attend for procurement, including more than 10,000 international merchants, aiming for a growth of over 50% compared to last year.
Longer procurement lists will bring more business opportunities to exhibitors. This is the first time the expo has pre-collected intended procurement lists from merchants. Following the release of the first batch of international procurement lists in June, totaling 190 million USD from 23 countries/regions, nearly 300 new international procurement demands with a total value of approximately 2.3 billion RMB have been added.
Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Hangzhou’s establishment as China’s first cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone, this expo will fully leverage its first-mover advantage. In addition to organizing global platform events featuring Amazon, AliExpress, TikTok, and SHEIN in the “Silk Road E-commerce” pavilion (which already has 118 booths and 365 exhibitors), international leading enterprises such as Zoom, Facebook, and Aramex (the top logistics company in the Middle East) have been invited to participate for the first time.
The upgraded “Digital Trade Online” platform will evolve from an online exhibition platform to a “comprehensive digital trade service platform.” Building on functions such as business matching, digital experiences, and cross-border store setup, it will add core sections including cutting-edge trends, industry dynamics, policy consulting, project applications, and resource connection, creating a fully functional online trade ecosystem.
Technology Empowerment
AI Leadership, Gathering Cutting-Edge Innovations, and Immersive Experiences
Digital trade embodies new productive forces in the field of trade. The 4th Digital Trade Expo will strive to build a platform for showcasing cutting-edge global digital technologies and products, offering immersive experiences.
Breaking away from the traditional layout of national-level exhibitions, this expo will eliminate separate “China Pavilion” and “Zhejiang Pavilion,” instead highlighting leading and emerging digital trade enterprises. It will showcase cutting-edge technologies, products, and scenarios such as generative AI and multimodal sensory interaction. The artificial intelligence pavilion will be larger in scale and cover a broader industrial chain. For the first time, Hangzhou’s “Six Dragons” AI enterprises will gather at the expo, sparking industry speculation about “Who will be the seventh dragon” and attracting widespread attention.
The concept of “AI+” will run through the entire exhibition. In addition to displaying basic technologies such as computing power equipment and models, the expo will focus on their in-depth applications in various vertical fields. The “1+7” pavilions will comprehensively demonstrate the practical applications of AI in cross-border e-commerce, green mobility, medical diagnosis, cultural entertainment, architecture, and furniture.
The expo is not only a showcase of current achievements but also a beacon for the future. Many exhibitors will debut global or national premieres, including embodied intelligent cleaning robots (“Turing-1”), new XR glasses, high-rise rescue flight platforms, biological cell genetic disease imaging data capture and fully automatic analysis systems, and the “Liuhe Chuangxiang” digital marketing tool. These new products, technologies, and services will offer immersive experiences.
During the expo, several authoritative reports will be released, including Global Digital Trade Development Report 2025, China Digital Trade Development Report 2025, Silk Road E-commerce Cooperation and Development Report 2025, 2025 China-Africa Digital Trade Development Report, and 2025 BRICS Special Economic Zones Economic and Trade Cooperation Development Report. Additionally, the global and national “Top 100 Digital Trade Enterprises” lists will be unveiled, along with the first “Top 10 Outstanding Youth in Digital Trade Under 35” list, establishing a three-dimensional evaluation system covering talent, enterprises, and ecosystems, and serving as a global benchmark for digital trade development.
Investment Cooperation
Connecting the World, Sharing Opportunities, and Capital Support
Digital trade is a key area driving the integration and optimization of global industrial, supply, and value chains. The 4th Digital Trade Expo will gather more resources, promote two-way investment, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
A series of thematic activities will respond to global expectations for interconnected development. Taking advantage of the United Arab Emirates’ role as the guest country, the expo will host China-UAE economic and trade exchange events. Leveraging the influence of the BRICS Special Economic Zones China Cooperation Center’s settlement in Hangzhou, a new “BRICS Special Economic Zones Cooperation Week” will be launched. Through cooperation dialogues, BRICS-themed booths, and industrial matchmaking events, it will focus on policy innovation, industrial development, and trade investment, helping national special economic zones establish contact mechanisms with BRICS partners and expand cooperation space.
More global “digital trade partners” will share new opportunities provided by the expo as an international public good. The content of “Silk Road E-commerce Day” and “Digital Trade Africa Day” will continue to evolve and upgrade: “Silk Road E-commerce Day” will consist of “three exchange and matchmaking events + one offline field visit + one Silk Road cloud product recommendation + one Silk Road E-commerce pavilion”; “Digital Trade Africa Day” will include “Smart Africa Exhibition, China-Africa Smart Industry Matchmaking Conference, African Goodies Live Broadcast, and African Makers at Digital Trade Expo.”
The newly established “Digital Trade Venture Capital Day” will open up greater space for integrating technological and industrial innovation. The event will select 100 digital trade technology projects with core technologies from across the country and match them precisely with 100 global high-quality venture capital firms. Linking with the national-level 10-billion service trade fund based in Hangzhou, it will promote the implementation and transformation of innovative projects and teams, releasing the multiplier effect of “attracting businesses through the expo, competitions, and capital,” and injecting abundant capital momentum into technological innovation.
Furthermore, during the expo, a “Conference on Promoting High-Quality Development of Commodity Trade” will be held, alongside the inauguration of Hangzhou’s Commodity Investment and Trade Service Innovation Center. Focusing on empowering paths such as business model innovation, talent incubation, financial leadership, and service optimization, it will strive to build “the first city for intelligent commodity trade” to support the construction of the free trade .
The 4th Global Digital Trade Expo will, with a more open attitude, cutting-edge technologies, and practical actions, build a bridge connecting the world and sharing opportunities. Let us meet in Hangzhou in September 2025 to attend this grand feast of digital trade and witness the innovative future at the expo!
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