AIRSHOW CHINA

About the fair

China is today the second-largest country after the USA in volume of cargo and passenger air traffic. AIRSHOW CHINA, the International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, is the only international aerospace show approved and actively supported by the Chinese government. Held since 1996 in even years at the airport in Zhuhai — a special economic zone in southern China (Guangdong Province) — it presents civil and military aircraft, airfield equipment, space technologies, ground equipment, rocket and aircraft engines, missiles and aviation weapons, navigation and flight-control systems, airport equipment, training systems, air-defence systems and more. The programme includes strategic aerospace displays, demonstration flights, forums and seminars. Russia is a traditional participant in the Zhuhai air show.

Planning the trip

• Register the badge online. Every major fair issues visitor badges in advance, and on-site registration means queueing on the busiest morning of the show. Registration usually opens one to two months out.
• Check the visa position early. China's entry rules have changed repeatedly in recent years, including visa-free arrangements for a growing list of countries and transit exemptions. Confirm what applies to your passport for this month, and ask the organiser for an invitation letter if a business visa is needed — issuing one is routine.
• Book accommodation before the dates firm up. A large fair fills its host city and rates move accordingly. Cancellable bookings made early cost less than confirmed ones made late.
• Decide which halls before you arrive. The bigger Chinese fairs run to several halls across separate phases, and walking them without a plan burns a day. Shortlist the stands you need and treat anything else as a bonus.
• Plan the follow-up, not just the visit. Business cards collected at a fair convert poorly once you fly home: quotes arrive in patchy English, samples stall, and the time difference eats a day per exchange. Deciding who handles that before you travel is what makes the trip pay for itself.