LAS VEGAS -- Chinese tech firms will swarm the Consumer Electronics Show, the world's biggest annual electronics exhibition held in Las Vegas. Despite the enduring trade dispute between Beijing and Washington, the robust participation by Chinese firms sends a clear signal that in the private sector, firms strive to distance themselves from governments embroiled in the trade war.
In January 2023, when most countries had not yet opened their borders to prevent COVID-19 and Chinese companies were influenced by the ongoing trade war, only about 500 Chinese firms participated in the annual global consumer electronics event. The economic conflict between the United States and China began in January 2018 when former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs and other trade regulations to address China's longstanding unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft.
According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the hosting organization of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024, a total of 4,314 companies will participate in the event scheduled to be held from January 9 to January 12 (local time). Of these, 1,208 companies are based in the U.S. (28 percent), and 1,114 companies are from China (25.8 percent). Before the US-Sino trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic, about 35 percent of the participating companies were based in China.
While Chinese consumer electronics giants such as Huawei, Haier, Xiaomi, and Honor, affected by trade regulations, will not participate in CES 2024, electric vehicle (EV) parts makers and electrical component makers, mainly based in China's Silicon Valley Shenzhen, will attract visitors in Las Vegas. Global technology industry officials predict that the electronics giants will participate in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, an annual trade show, scheduled to be held in late February.
Meanwhile, 789 companies (18.3 percent) from South Korea will participate in CES 2024 to boast their capabilities in artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, and mobility services. The number of participating companies has increased by about 170 percent compared to 469 in 2023. South Korean companies favor showing off their technology capabilities at the annual electronics show because CES can become a firm and reliable stepping bridgehead to the global market. The electronics exhibition is also great for attracting foreign investors' attention.