The 18th Central China International Auto Show opened in Wuhan, the capital city of Central China’s Hubei province, on Aug 13, attracting the participation of more than 60 brands and 800 car models.
The five-day event is the first offline large-scale exhibition in Wuhan since the city lifted its 76-day lockdown as the COVID-19 epidemic waned.
Automobile manufacturing is one of the pillar industries in Wuhan. In 2010, the output value of the sector exceeded 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion) for the first time, surpassing the city’s steel industry to become its biggest industry. In the following nine years, the automotive sector has maintained the number one spot.
Last year, automobile production in Wuhan reached 1.55 million vehicles, one of the highest output levels in China.
The sales volume of cars and other automobiles has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak – something the auto show aims to address, by stimulating car sales and boosting production for manufacturers.
To strengthen epidemic prevention and control, visitors and exhibitors need to enter the venue using electronic tickets and have their temperatures taken by infrared thermometers.
The exhibits and vehicles on display at the event will be disinfected every two hours.