More than 120 Chinese exhibitors will take part in photokina 2008, the international photographic industry exhibition, up almost 10 percent from the 2006 event, David Feng, managing director of Koelnmesse China Co., Ltd., said on Wednesday.

Organized by Koelnmesse GmbH and the Photographic Industry Association, the fair will take place from Sep. 23 to 28 in Cologne, Germany.

About 1,600 companies from 50 countries were expected, with more than 100 new exhibitors, said Koelnmesse executive vice president Oliver Kuhrt.

Feng said that Chinese photographic and imaging companies were increasingly enthusiastic to participate in the world market, but most of Chinese products focused on imaging accessories and photo framing products.

Deng Wei, vice chairman of the China Photographers Association, said most Chinese companies were still in the downstream end of the industrial chain, adding that the gap between Chinese enterprises and Japanese and European industry leaders was difficult to bridge in a short time.

Deng said Chinese companies needed to enhance collaboration with and learn from those market leaders to increase their competitiveness.

Photographic Industry Association and GfK Marketing Services figures showed about 776 million picture capturing devices were sold worldwide in 2007, including 629 million camera phones, 21 million camcorders, and 126 million digital cameras. Sales of digital reflex cameras rose to almost 10 million in 2007, up 17 percent year on year.

(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2008)