A high-end trading platform, the 13th China International Machine Tool Show's theme this year is using innovation to drive technological progress and sustainable development in the sector, organizers said.

Organized by the China Machine Tool and Tool Builders' Association and China International Exhibition Center Co, the event will be held from April 22 to 27 at the China International Exhibition Center (New Venue) in Beijing. This year's show will be the largest in its history, covering an area of 126,000 square meters.

More than 1,500 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions will showcase their latest products and technologies in the field of machine tool manufacturing.

"Innovative ability has become a competitive edge in the future of equipment manufacturing, and this year's event is intended to promote the application of new technologies in machine-tool production," organizers said.

More than 1,200 units will be on display, including innovative engines, precise instruments, large-scale equipment and supporting facilities. The event will feature 800 Chinese companies and 700 foreign manufacturers.

This maintains CIMT's long tradition of facilitating direct interactions among many of the world's foremost manufacturers and end users in the industry.

There will be a series of industry campaigns and international programs to encourage communication and information exchanges during the show. One example is an event titled Achievements in Numerical Control Machinery, which is designed to show off new advances in digital control technologies.

First held in 1989, the show is the largest machine tool show in China and one of the four biggest internationally. It serves as a major event for machine tool sourcing and as a trading platform for this global industry.

Based on the theme of innovation and sustainability, the CIMT 2013 comes at a time when the market climate is shifting amid economic transformation in China.

Organizers said that the equipment manufacturers are now faced with escalating challenges more than ever to upgrade their technologies and modes of operation in the industry. In 2011, the turnover of the show amounted to 2.26 billion yuan ($35 million), up 67.3 percent from the previous year.

There were 101 projects in 12 different categories from various companies, which exhibited 55 types of machine tools, 11 computerized numerical control systems, measuring tools and various items of basic technology.

And also, a total of 75 items each designated as a "major research achievement" or "major research project" were presented at the CIMT 2011.

This year, more than 200,000 people, including government officials, experts, industrial leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals, are expected to visit the show.

The organizers have also invited 10 global experts in the field of machine tools and the users to give speeches on the same theme. They will highlight hot topics, such as technological innovation, sustainable development, artificial intelligence and precise instruments.

The China Machine Tool and Tool Builders' Association said that it would stick to the requirements of China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) and continue to try to change the mode of economic development, increase innovative ability and improve competitiveness to contribute to the development of the nation's economy.