ICIF CHINA

About the fair

ICIF China is the region's most representative project in the chemical and petrochemical industry. It occupies more than 23,000 sq m of exhibition space, with over 750 exhibitors from 17 countries and around 16,000 specialists from 68 countries across Asia, Europe, South America, Russia and beyond. The global economy's innovative trend — cooperating for the better — is reflected at ICIF China. Topics include the oil-refining industry (products and processes), inorganic chemicals and their production, rubber products and technology, dyes, pigments and coatings and their equipment, chemistry in medicine, new materials, agrochemistry, soda and derivatives, chemical reagents, food and feed additives, magnetic-recording and photosensitive materials, household chemicals, and equipment and machinery for the chemical industry.

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.