The China Hi-tech Fair 2016 kicked off in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Wednesday with the heaviest international presence in history, as enterprises and organizations from across the world are increasingly taking the event as a tool to explore overseas markets and reach global customers.

Known as the country's biggest and most influential technology show, CHTF has attracted more than 3,000 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions across the world this year to showcase their latest technologies and products and explore opportunities for international cooperation, on the largest scale since the fair was launched in 1999.

The European Union delegation, for example, has organized 12 enterprises and organizations from several of its member nations including Germany, France and Spain to participate in the show.

"We hope to seek more cooperation with Chinese enterprises and organizations and CHTF is a bridge connecting the two sides. We have high expectations for the event," Sara Medina, member of the board of SPI, a Portugal-based consulting firm focusing on promoting EU-China science and technological cooperation.

The number of new products to be launched during the event is also expected to reach a record high. Greece delegation is going to unveil a virtual fitting room based on virtual reality technology.

Shenzhen Party Chief Ma Xingrui said innovation was the primary force driving economic development.

The city has been making efforts to create favorable environment for innovation and to strengthen its advantages in innovation, he said at the opening ceremony of the fair.

CHTF, in this sense, plays an important role, as it provides an platform for enterprises, research organizations, professionals and industry insiders from all over the world to exchange internationally advanced technologies and products and share their technological achievements.