Staffer debugs industrial robots at a booth of the 2019 Xiamen Industry Exposition opened in Xiamen, Fujian province on April 12. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2019 Xiamen Industry Exposition opened in Xiamen, Fujian province on April 12, putting cross-Straits intelligent manufacturing prowess in the limelight.

The expo featured a total exhibition area of 94,000 square meters, with 4,500 booths, increases of 10.6 percent and 14.3 percent respectively. The booths displaying smart manufacturing technologies numbered more than 700, and showcased robots, automated equipment and software application products.

The newly added section exhibiting network-connected automobiles turned out to be a special highlight.

The expo is slated to run until April 15.

A raft of forums are set to be held on its sidelines as well, with numerous cross-Straits experts and scholars discussing the latest trends in such sectors as automation, new materials and smart logistics.

One of them, the Cross-Straits Economic and Trade Forum, will see scholars and business leaders explore ways to facilitate the smooth transformation of industrial manufacturing companies and contribute their intelligence to forging closer cross-Straits links.

The Xiamen Industry Exposition, authorized by the Ministry of Commerce, has been held annually since 1997. The fair has now evolved into the largest and most influential economic and trade exchange event across the Taiwan Straits.

Official data show that the trade volume of mechanical and electrical products between the Chinese?mainland and Taiwan rose 16.2 percent to reach $178.2 billion in 2018, accounting for 7.3 percent of the mainland's total foreign trade value over the period.

According to Guo Kuilong, secretary general of China's Mechanical and Electrical Products Import and Export Chamber of Commerce, the expo offers an efficient and professional cooperation and trade platform for cross-Straits companies in the sector.