Lingshui, a coastal county in southern China’s Hainan province, will host the 2025 Hainan Southeast Tech & Art Festival from July 25-27. Themed “Empowering Art with Technology, Innovation Leading the Future”, the event will bring together participants from across technology, culture, and the creative industries.
The three-day program includes over 15 featured events and exhibitions, with more than 100 companies and organizations expected to take part. Held in Lingshui’s Haigui Town, the festival aims to highlight the role of emerging technologies in cultural expression and explore China’s growing efforts to promote tech and design on the international stage.
During the event, TechNode, in collaboration with TNGlobal, co-organized the flagship competition of the 2025 HaiNan SoutEast Asia AI Hardware Battle (HNSE AHB). TechNode curated the technology interactive exhibition segment, working alongside the event organizers and participating companies to present an exciting tech showcase for attendees.
Opening ceremony: global conversations with local roots
The festival will begin with an opening ceremony and Outbound Moment Summit at 4pm on July 25. The program includes a blend of artistic performance, public dialogue, and product announcements, focusing on how China’s tech and creative sectors are expanding internationally while remaining connected to their local cultural identities.
Key segments of the agenda include:
- The opening video and cultural fashion show will present designers’ reinterpretations of Hainan’s traditional aesthetics in modern fashion.
- The Sea of Stories podcast will feature voice actor Ji Guanlin, psychologist Jiang Zhenyu, and representatives from Litchi FM and Haima Xingkong.
- A dialogue between TechNode founder Dr. Lu Gang and president of the Institute of Micro-Reaction Science Jiang Zhenyu will explore the cultural narratives behind China’s outbound tech movement.
- The investment roundtable will gather participants from China Growth Capital, Yuanze Capital, OPPO Ventures, and Yicai Capital to discuss the role of capital in tech globalization.
- The innovation roundtable will bring together executives from Green Funding, Chuhai Yiding, and Gobi Partners to examine emerging models and trends in tech exports.
- The Hainan International Designer Competition will take place, promoting digital design as a vehicle for global cultural exchange.
- The animated short Legend of Li Brocade will premiere, drawing inspiration from the weaving traditions of the Li ethnic group.
- An official activation ceremony will conclude the opening program, joined by guest representatives from across sectors.
Exhibitions, interactive spaces, and live performances
Over the three-day program, Lingshui’s Haigui Town will host a series of public exhibitions and interactive installations designed to engage both industry participants and general audiences.
Highlights include:
- At the tech interactive expo, over 100 companies will be showcasing innovations in XR, robotics, AI, and smart hardware.
- The tech workshop, organized in collaboration with the local labor union, will invite participants of all ages to explore hands-on activities blending science, art, and education.
- The EV showcase will bring together 31 leading automotive brands — including Tesla, BYD, Toyota, and VW — to unveil their latest electric models and sustainable mobility solutions.
- Set against a scenic coastal backdrop, the Shuangfanshi music festival will span two nights of live performances by pop and hip-hop artists.
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Immersive theater program
Running concurrently, an interactive theater experience titled Short Drama Base Camp, invites participants to take part in live-action scenarios across five themed sets—castle, casino, courtroom, boxing gym, and hospital—in a hybrid between scripted performance and audience participation.
Innovation-focused competitions
Two major competitions will take place during the festival:
- HaiNan SoutEast Asia AI Hardware Battle will feature 23 startups pitching to judges from Gobi Partners, INCE Capital, OPPO Skyrim, Green Funding, and TechNode. Winning teams will receive policy support, market access in Japan, and an exhibition slot at the BEYOND Expo 2026.
- VPC University Virtual Production Finals, where student teams will present original works in virtual filmmaking and real-time digital media, followed by an awards ceremony and public screening.
Public events: culture, design, and culinary experiences
A range of public-facing activities will also take place, combining cultural displays, local design, and culinary programming:
- The Go Wild in Lingshui Street Carnival will feature folk dance, street music, and food stalls.
- The International Creative Market will focus on art toys, NFT (Non-Fungible Token) works, and cross-border design collaborations.
- The Lingshui Souvenirs Market will offer local crafts, AR (Augmented Reality) installations, and regional snacks.
- The Landing on Moonlight Island Sensory Maze will provide a five-sense exploration space designed with interactive storytelling and themed challenges.
- The Asian Food Festival will serve regional specialties including tom yum skewers, Vietnamese spring rolls, Adobo chicken, teppanyaki, and coconut-based desserts.
A platform for international engagement
The festival is part of broader efforts to position Hainan as a regional hub for cross-border innovation, leveraging the Hainan Free Trade Port policy and the province’s emerging role in digital and cultural industries. Through its programming, the event seeks to foster dialogue between investors, startups, artists, and policy stakeholders around the future of Chinese innovation in a global context.
Dates: July 25–27, 2025
Location: Haigui Town, Lingshui, Hainan, China
