CHANGSHA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The fourth Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition (CICEE) opened on Thursday in the central Chinese city of Changsha, bringing together over 1,800 global exhibitors to showcase cutting-edge machinery and technologies that are shaping the industry's future.

This year's exhibition, themed "High-end, Intelligent, and Green," has seen the participation of global industry leaders such as Caterpillar and Hitachi Construction Machinery, as well as Chinese construction machinery giants like Sany and Zoomlion.

Exhibitors are showcasing new-energy machinery, unmanned technology and other high-end equipment across an exhibition space of about 300,000 square meters. Exhibits cover equipment used in the fields of construction, emergency rescue, mining, agriculture and transportation.

Some 760 international buyers from over 20 countries and regions are also attending to explore procurement opportunities.

Tsunetaka Mori, Hitachi Construction Machinery's representative in China, told the opening ceremony that the CICEE has grown into a globally renowned industry event and a world-class platform for market participants over the years.

Noting that the Chinese market remains a top priority in Hitachi's global strategy, Mori said the company will ramp up its investments in China and provide stronger technology and resource support.

This year's CICEE, scheduled to run through Sunday, also features a slate of forums, technical exchange events and business-matching activities.

China's machinery industry posted a steady performance in 2024, buoyed by the country's large-scale equipment upgrade program and a slew of incremental pro-growth policies. According to the China Machinery Industry Federation, the added value of major machinery enterprises increased 6 percent in 2024 when compared to the previous year. Major enterprises are those with an annual main business revenue of 20 million yuan or more (about 2.78 million U.S. dollars).

Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province, is known as a construction machinery manufacturing powerhouse as it hosts the headquarters of China's top players, including Sany, Zoomlion and Sunward.■