Consumer Electronics Show to open in China next year

World`s largest household appliance event "Consumer Electronics Show," which used to open in Las Vegas, the U.S. in January each year, will also open in China. The International CES Asia at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre will be held for two days from May 26 next year, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which hosts the event, said on Thursday. It will be the first event specializing in the Asian market following the world’s top three electric appliance exhibitions -- Consumer Electronics Show, World Mobile Congress and the IFA electronics show.

The electronic appliance industry at home and abroad views this move as the association’s response to the rapid growth of the Chinese market and the growing influence of Chinese appliance makers of Hisense, TCL, Haier and Huawei. Some observers also believe this is the result of the Chinese government and companies who want to develop China into a test bed rather than a market of knockoffs of the global electronic industry.

According to the association, Chinese adult consumers spend an average of 917 dollars annually, more than U.S. consumers’ 483 dollars. In addition, although Chinese appliance makers do not still have the technological level or brand value of Korean and Japanese counterparts, Chinese companies are demonstrating themselves to be a formidable chaser, launching new products in new fields including wearable devices and Internet of Things (IoT), in addition to smart homes.

Of note, CES Asia has U.S. companies such as Intel, IBM and Amazon on its support or participant roster, but no Korean company names so far. Samsung Electronics is currently mulling whether to take part, while LG Electronics plans not to attend. Both companies are of the stance that they are not sure how differentiated the CES Asia would be from the main show in Las Vegas.

Yet industry officials believe for a large part that there is a more important issue. Korea`s two manufacturing giants have experienced Chinese companies’ copycat practices whenever they unveiled new products. This has made them wary of taking part in the CES Asia, as they do not believe it is worth giving Chinese companies another opportunity to copy their products. It is worth wondering how the CES Asia will establish itself as a world-class exhibition without the proactive participation of Samsung and LG.