The Smart China Expo returns to southwest China‘s Chongqing City for a second year. Often referred to as the country's largest industry event for artificial intelligence (AI), leading tech firms from both home and abroad will be visiting Chongqing from August 26 to 29.

5G technology, blockchain and big data are some of the highlights and the entire event venue is said to be 5G enabled. Companies including Alibaba, Tencent, Toyota, Huawei, Sony and Intel are to exhibit their latest smart technologies during the four-day event.

The city of Chongqing estimates this year's Smart China Expo could attract 700,000 people, a 20 percent increase from last year when the expo was first held in the city.

According to a recent report by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Chongqing is on the rise to enhance its capability for smart technologies. The report said the city's added market value from new generation information technology grew 22.2 percent in 2018 – the fastest among Chongqing's above-scale strategic emerging industries. 

Strategic emerging industries are those based on technological breakthroughs to achieve sustainable and greener development. Sheng Chiao, the managing director for JLL West China, told CGTN that Chongqing's 10 strategic emerging industries, including information technology, new material, aerospace, urban consumption, consumer services, cultural and creative as well as green energy, have been helping the city enter a smart age, which is important as the city undergoes economic and industrial transformation.

Chongqing is China's fourth municipality under the Central Government, after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The city was famous for its secondary industries such as car and equipment manufacturing. 

However, the city is now experiencing a strong headwind as growth in its manufacturing sectors slows. In 2018, the city's economic growth stood at 6 percent but the growth rate for the city's secondary industry was only half of that.

Chongqing now hopes that the Smart China Expo can serve as a vehicle to help the city's transition – making its manufacturing smarter while boosting local service sectors. The city said that over half of the city's industrial contracts are now in the intelligent industry and the Smart China Expo laid down a firm foundation for the city to further develop its smart industries.

In addition to companies showcasing the latest technologies, there will also be discussions on how internet and digital technologies can strengthen cooperation along the Silk Road.

CGTN will hold a livestream at 11 a.m. Beijing time on August 27 to tour around the expo venue – uncovering the latest smart technology breakthroughs.