About 53 delegations from more than 41 countries and international organizations are participating in the 2020 China Hi-Tech Forum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, despite the negative effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The event, which started on Wednesday, is one of the largest and most influential scientific and technology fairs in China.

"We are providing offline and online channels for international exhibitors as there are restrictions on international travel due to the COVID-19 outbreak," said Ai Xuefeng, vice-mayor of Shenzhen.

He said that the zeal for international exchanges is not diminishing. Executives of global technology and financial giants, including IBM, Huawei, Bosch Group, Cisco and the New Development Bank, will speak at the fair.

Twenty four international exhibitors are participating in the offline show, while 29 countries and institutions will participate in the event through the online platform, he said.

He said the remote exhibition center, powered by 5G tech, ultra-high-definition videos and 360-degree virtual reality technologies, can simulate a brick-and-mortar exhibition booth.

In the Nordic Innovation Pavilion, 16 innovative Nordic startups are displaying their latest technology.

The "Europe High Tech Focus "delegation will gather more than 30 innovative technology companies from Germany, Switzerland and other European countries and they will demonstrate their latest scientific and technological achievements.

Ten Austrian firms, guided by the Consulate General of the Republic of Austria in Guangzhou, are participating in the Shenzhen event directly, showcasing their enthusiasm for China's market.

The fair organizers expect to help more overseas enterprises to seize the opportunities brought by China's new dual-circulation development pattern.

As the COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated demand for new healthcare and medical applications, the fair has set up a new exhibition zone for technologies developed to fight the epidemic. It will showcase noncontact temperature monitors, noncontact delivery systems and service robots, as well as artificial intelligence and big data applications in the sector.