CHONGQING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 2020 Smart China Expo Online commenced Tuesday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, according to the organizer.

The three-day event is co-hosted by Chongqing and Singapore. A total of 551 companies and other institutions, including 148 foreign enterprises such as Intel, IBM and Siemens, will participate in the online exhibitions of smart products and smart manufacturing, among others.

"Indeed, smart technologies are vital for the inclusive and sustainable future we want," said Liu Zhenmin, UN Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, while addressing the opening ceremony via video link. "In the ongoing fight against COVID-19, smart technologies have been deployed to prevent, monitor and contain the spread of the pandemic, and to support recovery."

"The creativity and innovation of industries is key to the advancement of smart technologies, while governments have a crucial and expanding effect on creating the enabling environment," he added.

Themed "Smart Technology: Empowering Economy, Enriching Life," the expo has 41 online forums on 5G, blockchain, industrial internet and semiconductors.

Huawei, Hikvision, Mitsubishi Electric and other leading tech companies will hold 116 online launch events, releasing their latest products and technologies.

A branch venue was set up in Singapore for the opening ceremony, which maintained a real-time connection with the main venue in Chongqing.

Addressing the opening ceremony via video link, Josephine Teo, Singapore's minister for manpower, congratulated Chongqing for organizing the large-scale flagship event. "This is a testament to Chongqing's ability to innovate and leverage digital technologies," she said.

"Singapore and Chongqing have a shared commitment to be at the forefront of digital connectivity," she added.

"The era of intelligence belongs to the whole world," said Wang Zhijun, vice minister of industry and information technology, at the opening ceremony. "We welcome global smart enterprises to invest in China and share the world's largest consumer market and technology application market."

The expo, which has been held twice in Chongqing since 2018, serves as a platform to promote global exchanges of smart technologies and international cooperation of the smart industry.