A staff member displays an AR device for information about cultural relics at the China International Digital Economy Expo 2021 in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Haoyuan)

SHIJIAZHUANG, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- An international expo on the digital economy will be held from Nov. 16 to 18 in Shijiazhuang, the capital of north China's Hebei Province.

The China International Digital Economy Expo 2022 will focus on integrative innovation and digital empowerment, according to the information office of the provincial government.

A total of 38 sideline forums will also focus on the metaverse, cloud computing, the industrial internet, and data safety management. Provinces, namely Heilongjiang, Fujian, and Shaanxi, will be guest provinces of this year's expo to discuss new development tendencies of the digital economy.

Various research reports will be released, and multiple promotion activities on innovation commercialization will take place during the event.

Meanwhile, the expo will also hold four big contests regarding privacy-preserving computing technologies, integrated circuit innovations, big data, and intelligent connected vehicles.

As China's first national digital economy expo, the event is co-organized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Hebei provincial government.