Preparations for the Eighth Electronics Manufacturer Exposition (eMEX) in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, are progressing smoothly, organizers said at a press conference in Beijing on July 2.

The IT industry event, which is scheduled to be held in late October, gathers IT manufacturers, research and development institutions and purchase agents from all over the world to display the latest techniques and products, discuss the direction of the IT industry and accelerate its development.

Suzhou Vice Mayor Zhou Weiqiang reviewed the past seven eMEX industry seminars and discussed the progress of preparations for this year's event. More than 600 electronics manufacturers are expected to participate in the exhibition, which will have more than 1,600 booths covering 44,000 square meters. Preparations are progressing smoothly and more than 60 percent of the work has been finished, Zhou said.

The current financial crisis has had a significant impact on the IT industry, Zhou said, which is reflected in this year's eMEX. First, to focus on the social effects, the layout of the exhibition halls has changed. There are new exhibition halls for the solar photovoltaic industry and 3G technology, both hot social topics. The organizers will set up new exhibition halls in the hope that the development of new energy and new communications technology can boost the IT industry.

Second, exhibitors benefit from favorable policies. Those who have attended three previous eMEX events receive a free booth, while newcomers receive a 50 percent discount. These favorable policies are designed to increase the enthusiasm of the exhibitors, relieve their financial burden, and promote and develop eMEX itself.

In addition, there are some organizational changes. This year's eMEX will cooperate with the 7th China International IC Exhibition & Summit (IC China) to create more business opportunities. The scale of forums is large – eMEX will host a series of high-level forums and seminars on, among other things, The New Era of 3G Technology and Solar Photovoltaic Policy and Market Applications, matching the new exhibition halls for the solar photovoltaic industry and 3G technology.

In recent years, as the pillar industry of Suzhou, the IT industry has received more and more investment, while related industries, such as the software industry, IC industry and opto-electrical industry, have gathered in Suzhou. There are more than 8,000 IT companies in Suzhou, whose output value of IT products ranks highly in China.

"Suzhou is not only a tourist destination, but also a paradise for the electronics industry," Zhou said. "There are only four months to go, but we are confident that eMEX 2009 will be a success."