China Shanghai International Pharmaceutical Raw Materials Exhibition

From May 21 to 23, 2025, the 92nd China International API, Intermediates, Packaging & Equipment Exhibition (API China), together with the National Pharmaceutical Trade Fair and the China International Health & Nutrition Expo, will be held concurrently at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. This year’s event is themed “Innovation Driving Industrial Upgrading,” co-organized by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Medicines & Health Products and UBM China, and stands as a premier annual gathering in China’s pharmaceutical industry.

In terms of scale, the three concurrent exhibitions will span a total area of 170,000 square meters, occupying 19 pavilions and bringing together nearly 4,000 renowned domestic and international enterprises from over 20 countries and regions. Among them, the API China section will feature more than 1,000 leading manufacturers across the supply chain—covering APIs, pharmaceutical excipients, pharmaceutical packaging, and pharmaceutical equipment—showcasing cutting-edge products and technologies that support the entire lifecycle and value chain of pharmaceuticals. Exhibits encompass over a hundred categories and tens of thousands of products, including APIs, pharmaceutical excipients, plant extracts, finished dosage forms, traditional Chinese medicine, pharmaceutical packaging, pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment, and health and nutrition products, attracting more than 200,000 professional visitors.

This edition of the show boasts numerous highlights, with industry forums and innovative breakthroughs serving as central attractions. Over a hundred conferences, forums, and related events will take place alongside the exhibition. Notably, the 2024 China Pharmaceutical High-Quality Development Conference brought together leading domestic experts and representatives from top-tier companies to engage in in-depth discussions on strategic opportunities arising from industrial integration and symbiosis, culminating in the release of the “Integrated API–Finished Dosage Form Business Analysis and Future Outlook Report.” The 10th Antibiotics Symposium focused on market dynamics, technological advancements, policy frameworks, and the application of synthetic biology in antibiotic API production. Meanwhile, the 2024 Pharmaceutical Intelligent Manufacturing and Quality Control Technology Exchange Conference, under the theme “Digital Intelligence Empowering Dual Gains in Quality and Efficiency,” explored how digitalization, intelligent technologies, and green innovations can drive R&D and manufacturing processes. Additional high-profile sessions included the 2024 New Drug R&D High-Quality Development Forum, the 2024 Overseas Pharmaceutical Market Products and Trends Seminar, and the Pharmaceutical Engineering Design and Construction Forum—totaling more than 30 specialized conferences addressing drug R&D, technological innovation, and policy trends.

Leading industry players made a strong appearance, with new technologies and products drawing significant attention. Established giants such as Sinopharm Engineering, Sinopharm Group, Tianjin Pharmaceutical Group, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Group, Qilu Pharmaceutical, Shandong Xinhua, Haizheng Pharmaceutical, and Huahai Pharmaceutical showcased both their time-honored strengths and newly developed innovations. KENENG Power made its debut, unveiling core nitrogen-generation equipment whose valve‑manufacturing and carbon molecular sieve technologies ensure system stability and energy efficiency. Oushisheng presented its independently developed fully automated hydrogenation reactor, which mixes high-purity hydrogen with continuously flowing reactants within a micro‑packed column, guaranteeing a safe, efficient, and energy‑saving hydrogenation process. Jiangxi Alpha High-Tech Pharmaceutical exhibited its newly established pharmaceutical excipient evaluation laboratory, securing collaborative projects with several target clients, while SCHOTT Glass Tubes earned the “GO GREEN Green Sustainable Development Practitioner” award for its climate‑neutral strategy and sustainability initiatives.

The professional audience was exceptionally robust, with high‑quality buyer profiles. The event attracted nearly 5,000 pharmaceutical enterprises nationwide, with 97% of China’s top 100 pharmaceutical companies participating as organized groups. Among attendees, 63.8% regularly use the API China online platform to post procurement needs or seek suppliers, while 31.3% discovered new suppliers onsite and tentatively agreed to collaborate. Exhibitors generally reported that this year’s professional audience was highly qualified and clearly intent on purchasing, with 68% securing reservations for next year’s booths during the event.

The 94th API China will be held from May 13 to 15, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, with an anticipated exhibition space exceeding 70,000 square meters, hosting over 1,200 exhibiting companies and drawing more than 30,000 professional visitors. The event will continue to serve as an effective platform for global exchange and collaboration within the pharmaceutical industry.