Computex wraps up

COMPUTEX SHOW organisers are pretty pleased to report that the event continues to grow, despite the constricting realities of the economic downturn and the more psychological threat of swine flu fever.

Having attracted some 32,178 buyers from around the world to its 4,498 booths scattered across halls around Old Taipei, the event can claim to be the biggest yet.

An indication of the shifting focus of the region is the fact that many firms from the Chinese mainland exhibited officially here for the first time, reflecting the changing nature of the relationship between China and Taiwan. For the first time, direct  flights bewteen the two territories allowed a significant Chinese presence at the show and that presence seems certain to grow in the coming years.

Walter Yeh, vice president of TAITRA, the Taiwanese trade outfit that runs the show, said the numbers were up, the weather was fine and the Taipei traffic manageable. The show was therefore a definite success. Business was brisk if somewhat less frantic than previous years we've witnessed. Even the Brit presence was up by four per cent, Yeh said.

While OEM business remains pre-eminent, the growth of Taiwanese brands is most pleasing to a local industry obsessed with prestige. Both brands and OEMS are very important to our ecomony, said Yeh, allowing Taiwan to compete in International markets.

Next year is the show's 30th birthday and Yeh expects it to be the biggest and best yet. It will ensure "Computex is the most important showcase for the ICT industry," he said, but dismissed our suggestion that the organisers are desperate for Computex to outstrip Cebit in terms of size and numbers. Cebit is more B to C and focused on Europe said Yeh, Computex being much more about B to B and relationships between local suppliers and customers throughout the world. "We don't compete with others, we just cooperate with our partners," Yeh said.

Yeah paid tribute to local firms reckoning the preponderance of small and medium-size businesses on island means they are more flexible and able to adapt to changing market conditions. µ