Web Summit Lisbon hosts record China delegation

Web Summit opens in Lisbon on Monday with what organizers describe as the largest Chinese delegation in the event’s history, a sign of China’s growing weight in global technology and of Portugal’s role as a meeting point for Chinese and Western founders, investors and policymakers.

According to information provided to ECO by Web Summit, more than 70,000 participants are expected, in line with recent editions, but this year China will stand out across the exhibition halls and conference stages. Chinese groups due in Lisbon include Tencent, Xiaomi, electric vehicle maker Xpeng, AI startup Manus, robotics company Agibot and consumer electronics group Hisense.

The strong Chinese presence comes as Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave has stepped up his public focus on China’s advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and electric vehicles. Web Summit said bringing a significant number of Chinese tech leaders to the West gives participants “an unparalleled opportunity” to engage with the policymakers and founders driving that shift.

The event also feeds speculation over Web Summit’s expansion plans in Asia. Cosgrave has said he is still in talks with several cities and has previously floated the possibility of a future event in mainland China, with Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen mentioned publicly. The Portuguese-Chinese Chamber of Commerce told ECO that such a move could help connect Asian and European tech ecosystems and create opportunities in areas including AI, energy transition, mobility and data centres.

Originally published at Eco.pt