The 14th China High-Tech Fair opened on Friday in Shenzhen, with the number of foreign participants surging compared with last year.

The number of overseas companies attending the event grew 37.5 percent, while the number of pre-registered overseas buyers has doubled, a growth that was “unexpected” for the organizers, said Xu Qin, the mayor of Shenzhen.

About 3,000 exhibitors from China and abroad are attending the fair, according to the organizers.

More than 500 companies, with many from the United States, Japan and South Korea, are showcasing their latest technology.

Cloud computing, the “Internet of things”, and 4th generation mobile Internet devices are some of the highlights of the event.

The fair, which will end on Nov 21, is expected to draw 500,000 visitors.