Defence events in China

Xi'an hosts China's densest concentration of state-owned defense primes and research institutes, making this expo one of the few accessible venues in western China where suppliers can engage directly with aerospace, ordnance, and defense-electronics procurement chains. For SMEs and dual-use technology firms, the military-civil integration forums and project roadshow sessions provide structured pathways into PLA and state-enterprise supply chains. The event's scale — targeting 50,000+ professional visitors and 1,500+ exhibitors — and its government guidance from provincial defense-industry authorities signal genuine procurement and partnership intent rather than a purely promotional showcase.

This is one of the few recurring Chinese domestic venues where civilian technology companies can engage directly with PLA procurement and logistics officers, making it a rare structured channel into Chinese military supply chains. For dual-use SMEs and tech firms in AI, IoT, unmanned systems, and cybersecurity, the event offers direct demand-signal access that is otherwise difficult to obtain. Western and allied defence analysts should monitor exhibitor and delegation lists as an indicator of PLA civil-military fusion procurement priorities.

MITE CHINA Nanjing is one of the few recurring domestic Chinese exhibitions explicitly focused on military AI, C2, and unmanned systems, making it a direct window into PLA procurement priorities and the civil-military fusion supply chain. For defence-adjacent technology companies — particularly in AI, simulation, EW, and UAS — it offers rare access to Chinese state-owned enterprise buyers and research institutes that drive domestic procurement decisions. Western analysts and allied intelligence communities also monitor the exhibitor roster as a leading indicator of PLA capability development and dual-use technology transfer pathways.

CMPE Shenzhen is one of China's largest dedicated military-police equipment expos, directly connecting suppliers with procurement decision-makers from the PLA, People's Armed Police, public security bureaus, and emergency management agencies — making it the primary gateway for domestic and foreign vendors seeking access to Chinese government and law-enforcement buyers. For SMEs and technology companies in counter-UAS, surveillance, soldier systems, and emergency response, the expo offers direct product demonstration opportunities and procurement leads in a market that is otherwise difficult to penetrate. The event's co-organizers include state defence-industrial conglomerates (CASIC, CASC, AVIC, CSSC, NORINCO Group), giving exhibitors rare visibility with institutional end-users and state-owned enterprise buyers.

Airshow China is the primary public window into China's military and commercial aerospace capabilities, making it essential for any supplier seeking to understand PLA procurement signals, Chinese OEM partnerships, or export competition from AVIC, COMAC, CASC, and AECC. With over RMB 280 billion in contracts signed at the 2024 edition and 1,022 exhibitors from 47 countries, it is one of the world's top-five airshows by commercial weight and the single most important venue for accessing China's aerospace decision-makers. For Western and allied SMEs and primes, it provides unmatched competitive intelligence on Chinese aerospace and defence technology trajectories.

The event serves as an entry point for dual-use technology suppliers, sensor manufacturers, and unmanned systems developers seeking commercial and public-sector security contracts in East China. It highlights the integration of AI, autonomous platforms, and counter-UAS capabilities into municipal and critical infrastructure protection.

DWC is the single most important annual procurement and partnership event for the global UAV supply chain, offering direct access to Chinese manufacturers who dominate 70%+ of the consumer drone market and nearly 50% of the industrial drone market worldwide. For defence suppliers and dual-use SMEs, the dedicated low-altitude security and counter-UAS exhibition zone (Hall 5 in 2026) and associated forums provide unmatched visibility into Chinese C-UAS technology trends and potential export partners. The event's scale — 1,200+ exhibitors and 180,000+ visitors in 2026 — makes it an essential intelligence-gathering venue for any organisation tracking UAS threats, capabilities, or supply-chain dependencies.

CNTE functions as a designated PLA procurement selection exhibition, giving defence-technology SMEs and startups a rare direct channel to pitch products to military institutes and all branches of the People's Liberation Army. It is the primary annual platform in China for military-civilian integration in the information-technology domain, making it essential intelligence for any supplier tracking Chinese defence procurement trends or seeking partnerships with China's ten major defence conglomerates. For non-Chinese firms, it provides a benchmark for the pace of Chinese defence digitalisation across C4ISR, cyber, autonomy, and dual-use sectors.

CMPE is the largest and most specialized military and police equipment event in Northern China, offering direct access to procurement decision-makers from the PLA Central Military Commission departments, People's Armed Police headquarters, Ministry of Public Security, and major theater commands — making it the primary gateway for domestic and international suppliers seeking to enter China's military and law-enforcement supply chain. For SMEs and technology firms, the concurrent high-level forums and the presence of all major state-owned defence groups provide unmatched intelligence on PLA and PAP procurement priorities and technology roadmaps. The Beijing location concentrates the highest density of Chinese defence institutional buyers of any domestic security trade show.

DefenPol China is one of the very few recurring export-oriented defence trade shows held inside mainland China, giving foreign buyers direct access to Chinese state-owned defence enterprises and SME innovators that rarely exhibit abroad. For international suppliers and dual-use technology firms, it offers a rare channel into China's defence procurement ecosystem and a platform to meet Belt and Road country delegations in a single venue. The show's biennial cadence and growing international visitor base from 40+ countries make it a meaningful intelligence-gathering and partnership-development event for companies tracking Chinese defence export trends.