On July 22, the China Household Electrical Appliances Association held the official launch event for the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE2026) in Shanghai. Under the theme “Smart AI, Smarter Future,” AWE2026 will introduce a brand-new dual-venue format, with the exhibition running March 12-15, 2026, across two locations: the Shanghai New International Expo Center and the Sunrise Complex at the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone. The event is expected to span over 170,000 square meters, feature more than 1,200 leading brands, and draw over 200,000 attendees. AWE2026 will showcase cutting-edge innovations in smart technology and immersive future lifestyle solutions from around the world, reinforcing its role as a global hub for technological advancement and industry collaboration.
Amid steady global growth in the home appliance and consumer electronics industries, AWE2025 delivered impressive results. The expo welcomed participation from over 1,000 leading brands worldwide, spanning 140,000 square meters of exhibition space and presenting a full spectrum of AI-driven innovations for smart living. More than 192,000 visitors attended the event - a 25% increase year over year - with international attendance rising nearly 30%, highlighting AWE’s expanding global influence and its status as a premier platform for cutting-edge technology and industry exchange.
AWE2026 Debuts Advanced Consumer Electronics Zone, Establishing a New Dual-Venue Format
AWE2026 marks a historic milestone - building on its established presence at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, the event will, for the first time, launch an Advanced Consumer Electronics Technology Zone at Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, creating a groundbreaking dual-venue format.
The two AWE2026 venues will work in close coordination, complementing each other in both focus and function. The Shanghai New International Expo Center zone will run for four days, from March 12 to 15, 2026, with the final day dedicated as Consumer Day. This zone will continue to gather over a thousand leading global brands and innovators from across the home appliance and consumer electronics value chain. Spanning 140,000 square meters, it will showcase smart living solutions and cutting-edge products, featuring innovations in whole-home intelligence, digital entertainment, fitness and health, green energy, smart mobility, smart office, smart cities, and more - presenting a comprehensive view of an industry evolving around people and real-life scenarios.
The Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone is designated as the Advanced Consumer Electronics Technology Zone, running for three days from March 12 to 14, 2026, without a Consumer Day. Located on the third floor of the Sunrise Complex within the zone, this 30,000-square-meter area will focus on cutting-edge fields such as chip and computing technologies, artificial intelligence, next-generation information technologies, new display technologies, robotics, drones, new energy vehicles, and smart home solutions. The zone will be organized into four themed areas: breakthroughs in core technologies, commercialization of innovative products, upgrades of intelligent digital terminals, and smart lifestyle scenarios—showcasing the new quality productive forces driving the consumer electronics industry in the AI era.
Ms. Xu Fang, a senior official at the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, attended the launch event and delivered a speech. She praised AWE’s achievements and contributions, and highlighted that consumer electronics, particularly smart terminals, are not only a vital engine for economic and social development but also play a pivotal role in upgrading and strengthening the entire electronics and information industry chain. Shanghai, she noted, is home to a comprehensive industrial ecosystem, first-class infrastructure, and efficient enterprise services. Looking ahead, the city will actively seize new opportunities brought by the AI revolution, and accelerate high-quality development of the electronic information sector through multi-level policy support and all-around service systems—creating fertile ground for innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable industrial growth.
Zhao Yugang, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone Administration, shared insights into the zone’s strategic positioning and policy advantages at the event. He explained that the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, approved by China’s State Council, is a pioneering platform for opening-up. It integrates special policies from comprehensive bonded zones, customs supervision areas, and port restricted areas, while also offering cross-border personnel mobility for specific closed areas and comprehensive business services. Hosting AWE2026 in this zone exemplifies the deep synergy between policy innovation and industrial development platforms. It is expected to fully unleash the benefits of institutional reform, stimulate new industrial momentum, and serve as a forward-looking model of high-level openness for the home appliance and consumer electronics sectors under China’s new development framework.
“The theme of AWE2026 – ‘Smart AI, Smarter Future’- aims to help enterprises seize the structural opportunities emerging from the AI revolution, while allowing consumers to truly experience how technology is transforming everyday life,” said Mr. Xu Dongsheng, Vice President of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, during the theme announcement.
A Multi-Value Platform Driving Trade, Tech Exchange, Consumption & Branding
As a forward-looking, industry-driven, and enterprise-empowering global platform, AWE will continue to strengthen its role in facilitating trade, technological exchange, and consumer engagement, helping businesses tap into global markets with greater precision. AWE2026 will broaden its international outreach by inviting more overseas buyers, distributors, and investors, while also bringing in key domestic industrial parks, research institutes, channel platforms, and local government delegations. A comprehensive lineup of high-impact events will include industry forums, product launches, global sourcing matchmaking, and venture capital networking, fostering a dynamic ecosystem where technology, capital, and markets connect and collaborate efficiently.
In 2025, AWE partnered with leading platforms including JD.com, Tmall, Suning.com, Douyin, and Kuaishou to launch the “AWE Consumption Upgrade Festival,” generating over 2 billion RMB in online sales. The “AWE Live Streaming Night” featured CCTV hosts, Olympic champions, celebrities, and top influencers, driving an additional 1 billion RMB in live-streaming sales. In 2026, AWE will once again join forces with major home appliance and consumer electronics retailers and e-commerce platforms to deliver a large-scale consumption extravaganza spanning appliances, smart living, and consumer tech.
AWE2026 will actively engage tech media and industry experts, while also bringing in international influencers and tech bloggers to broaden its global reach. The event will collaborate with leading overseas media outlets to deliver in-depth coverage, further boosting its international visibility and global influence.
Mr. Peng Jianfeng, Vice President of the China Video Industry Association, expressed full support for AWE2026. “As a leading industry association in the consumer electronics sector, we are committed to helping AWE become one of the world’s most influential exhibitions in this field, showcasing the technological innovations of China’s consumer electronics industry,” he said.
With broader vision, stronger momentum, and a more open stance, AWE will continue to empower global innovation, stimulate new consumption vitality, and lead the industry into a new era of smart living driven by AI.
See you in Shanghai, March 12–15, 2026!