Visitors experience a VR game at the 23rd China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

SHENZHEN, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The 23rd China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) kicked off both online and offline on Monday in southern China's tech hub of Shenzhen, showcasing a number of advanced products and technologies.

A total of 39 countries are participating in the fair either online or on-site.

This year's event focuses on national science centers, key state laboratories and China's major science and technology infrastructure, as well as the latest scientific research achievements and advanced technologies in fields including high-end manufacturing, new materials, life sciences and the marine economy.

Fan Jianping, head of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has participated in more than 10 fairs.

According to Fan, the CHTF is a window to observe China's scientific and technological innovation, and the products on display in frontier fields such as synthetic biology and brain science are likely to change people's lives in the future in profound ways.

The event's offline exhibitions will be held until Dec. 29 and its online exhibitions until Dec. 31.

The CHTF was first launched by the Shenzhen city government in 1999 in a bid to boost the economy through technical innovation and has since been held annually.  ■