The third annual China Hi-Tech Fair opened in Shenzhen with its usual fanfare and plenty of optimism about the future of the special economic zone's information technology industry.
Three years on, however, the fair is showing signs of fatigue and Shenzhen's hi-tech ambitions are up against some daunting obstacles.
Shenzhen's export-driven hi-tech industry knew it was in for a tough year even before the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, which will almost certainly push the United States economy into recession.
Its exports in the first nine months of this year grew 5.9 per cent to US$26.7 billion - much less than originally projected.
'The events of September 11 have had an obvious impact on Shenzhen,' mayor Yu Youjun said at the fair's opening press conference.
'Including goods shipped through Hong Kong, the US accounts for about half of Shenzhen's total exports,' he said.