QINGDAO: The China International Consumer Electronics Show (SinoCES), the country's largest electronics fair, opened in Qingdao city, eastern Shandong province Thursday, drawing 503 participating consumer electronics companies and about 900 retail giants.

Covering an area of 40,000 square meters with 1,550 exhibition booths, the four-day electronics event highlights a pilot program of the Chinese government to integrate the country's cable television, Internet and telecommunication service through a single device.

Wang Ning, executive vice president of the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce, said SinoCES offers participants an opportunity to experience the future consumer lifestyle related to the integration of the three networks.

Global brands such as Lenovo, China Mobile, Intel, Haier and HP joined other domestic and overseas TV makers, hardware manufacturers, software companies and telecommunication service providers at the fair to showcase their newest technologies and products.

Earlier this month, the Chinese government launched a trial program known as "three networks integration" in Qingdao and 11 other Chinese cities to make the three systems compatible and allow users make telephone calls, surf the Internet and watch television through only one cable or wireless port.

Currently, TV, telecom and Internet networks are separated in China, and different operators provide access to cable TV, telecommunications and the Internet.

About 20 forums are also expected to be held during the four-day event in Qingdao, allowing experts, business representatives and government officials to discuss developing trends in the consumer electronics industry.

Organizers have also set up a government procurement exhibition hall.

Statistics by the organizing committee show that the Chinese central and local governments will purchase about 100 billion yuan (14.75 billion U.S. dollars) worth of electronics products this year.

Editor: Li Jing

Source: Xinhua