The 13th Aviation Power and Gas Turbine Focus Conference & Exhibition (GTF2026) commenced at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on May 12. The event's theme, "Focusing on Industrial Chain Synergy, Co-building an Innovation Ecosystem, and Seizing China's Opportunities," fostered discussions on technological innovation, industrial chain collaboration, and global cooperation within the aero-engine and gas turbine sectors.
Jointly organized by the Chinese Society of Power Engineering, the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Chinese Society of Engineering Thermophysics, and Decision Makers Think Tank, the conference gathered representatives from government authorities, academicians, research institutions, leading domestic and international enterprises, and other key players across the supply chain. It aims to establish a more centralized and high-level platform for communication and alignment within China's high-end power equipment industry amidst the accelerating global industrial chain restructuring.
Aero-engines and gas turbines, often referred to as the "two engines," are critical components of high-end equipment manufacturing and are long regarded as key indicators of a nation's industrial foundation, material capabilities, manufacturing prowess, and systems integration. China's "two engines" industry is currently at a pivotal stage of technological breakthroughs, industrial synergy, and supply chain refinement. Independent innovation, collaboration between industry, academia, and research, and interconnectivity across the upstream and downstream supply chain emerged as recurring themes throughout the conference.
The opening ceremony was attended by leaders, academicians including Jiang Yiren, Liu Daxiang, Tu Shandong, and Dong Shaoming, alongside officials from various industrial and information technology departments, industry associations, international organizations, domestic prime manufacturers, research institutes, and heads of key supply chain enterprises. In their remarks, guests highlighted that the aero-engine and gas turbine industry features long chains, high technical barriers, and broad application scenarios. Its development requires not only continuous breakthroughs in core technologies but also the ongoing improvement of the industrial ecosystem.
Addressing current industry trends, Professor Feng Zhenping of Xi'an Jiaotong University, representing the organizing committee, issued an initiative for high-quality industrial development. He proposed that the industry should uphold parallel advancement of independent controllability and open cooperation to foster a modern industrial structure characterized by mutual trust, symbiosis, and collaborative progress.
The opening ceremony featured a launch event for the GTF2026 conference, initiated by several leaders and academicians. During the proceedings, Aero Engine Corporation of China Gas Turbine Co., Ltd. and Decision Makers Think Tank formalized a strategic partnership with an on-site signing ceremony. Under this agreement, the parties will leverage their respective industrial resources and platform capabilities to collaborate in areas such as technological upgrading, ecosystem co-development, brand globalization, and talent cultivation, aiming to enhance the quality and efficiency of the domestic gas turbine industry chain.
The conference also released multiple industry research reports, including the "2026 Gas Turbine Industry Development White Paper," the "2026 Aero-Engine Industry Development White Paper," and the "Global Gas Turbine Industry Directory & Premium Supplier List." These publications systematically analyze the current industry landscape, technology iteration trends, market layouts, and premium supplier resources, providing valuable references for corporate R&D, investment decisions, and industrial collaboration.
In a high-level roundtable discussion, executives from leading domestic and international companies deliberated on topics including industrial chain restructuring, technological advancement, global cooperation, and sustainable industry development. Participants concurred that breakthroughs in the "two engines" sector do not hinge on competition in isolated technologies but constitute a systems engineering effort requiring coordinated progress across materials, design, manufacturing, control, testing, maintenance, and support. Key challenges for future development include enhancing the self-sufficiency of critical components, strengthening collaboration between prime manufacturers and supply chain enterprises, and accelerating the commercialization of technological achievements.
Spanning three days, the event concurrently featured a professional exhibition, procurement matchmaking sessions, and technical exchange activities. The exhibition area covered approximately 15,000 square meters, hosting over 270 exhibiting companies representing the entire industrial chain for aero-engines and gas turbines. Displays covered core segments such as complete engine development, new materials and key components, control and auxiliary systems, testing and evaluation, MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul), and digitalization. The exhibition attracted over 15,000 professional buyers and visitors from China and abroad.
Industry insiders noted that the conference serves to further consolidate industry consensus, streamline supply and demand chains, promote international exchange and cooperation, and provide a concentrated showcase and networking window for the development of China's aero-engine and gas turbine industry and supply chain.
According to the organizers, the 14th Aviation Power and Gas Turbine Focus Conference is scheduled for April 27-29, 2027, again at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. Compared to this year's event, next year's exhibition will be upgraded to a pillarless H1 hall, with the exhibition scale expected to expand by over 30% to a total area of 25,000 square meters. It will continue to enhance international connectivity, high-level dialogue, and precise business matchmaking, striving to build a comprehensive service platform for the "two engines" industry.
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