Licensing Magazine interviewed Wilmet Shea, General Manager, Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd about the China Licensing Shenzen 2025 (April 7-9, 2025) the leading Asian licensing event – set to be packed with special initiatives, outstanding exhibitors, and business opportunities.
Could you share a preview of the exhibitors attending the show?
This year’s Licensing China will feature a strong lineup of popular IP brands from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan, including notable names such as Air Asia, B.Duck, Bbang Bbang‘s Diary, Boonie Bears, Boonie Cubs, Catch!Teenieping, Chimitan, Empresses in the Palace, Fabulous Beasts, Fei Ren Zai, GG Bond, Inter Milan, Little Parrot BEBE, Marsupilami, Miniforce, Miraculous Ladybug, Nmeneko, The Monkey King, WHEE WHEELS and many more.
What are the main event highlights?
Spanning 130,000 sqm across five halls, Licensing China will be held concurrently with Toy & Hobby China and Baby & Stroller China, fostering synergy among these three interconnected sectors. The joint fairs will showcase over 1,400 exhibitors throughout the three days.
This year, Licensing China will showcase three pavilions in Hall 16, including the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), the New Taipei City Computer Association (NTCA), and the Taiwan Character Brand Licensing Association (TCBLA).
With buyers from 54 counties and regions, including several overseas buyer delegations from Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, the number of pre-registered international buyers for the concurrent fairs has risen this year. We will also offer a business matching program to help international buyers efficiently connect with their desired suppliers through pre-arranged onsite meetings at the fairground.
Additionally, to enhance the sourcing experience for overseas buyers, we have arranged an exclusive one-day city tour this year. This tour will include visits to local companies, factories, and retail outlets, offering participants a firsthand look at Guangdong’s business and production landscapes while providing opportunities to network with local industry players.
How has the licensing hall been expanding over the years?
Compared to the Animation & Character Licensing Zone at Toy & Edu China 2019, the individual Licensing China fair has expanded to approximately five times its original scale after six years of growth.
The show has grown to be more internationally welcoming, drawing participation from 6 countries and regions, and it features three international pavilions this year. We are also thrilled to showcase more new IP exhibitors and brands in this 6th edition, such as AirAsia, Inter Milan, and the Monkey King.
In addition to the expanded scale, the show enriched its offerings by broadening the exhibiting IP categories to include animation and character licensing, brand licensing, celebrity licensing, culture and art licensing, sports licensing, and licensed products. Along with several fringe events and networking sessions held concurrently with the fair, this platform will help the industry explore new market trends and increase business opportunities.
This new edition is packed with special events and initiatives. Can you elaborate?
One of the main events is the Greater Bay Area Brand Licensing Industry Development Forum 2025. The annual forum held on 8 April is co-organized by Licensing International, Guangzhou Li Tong Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd, and the Guangdong Toys Association. Under this year’s new theme of ‘Breaking Boundaries and Empowering Growth’, the event will gather licensing leaders and experts to explore global licensing trends, market opportunities in Southeast Asia, cross-border IP protection, and IP-driven brand differentiation through a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and roundtable dialogues. The Licensing Industry Cocktail Reception Shenzhen will also provide an exclusive networking opportunity for industry players to gather and connect.
Another notable fringe event is the ‘World of Play’ Summit 2025, featuring six guest speakers from Asia, Europe, and North America. They will discuss the latest industry trends, social media marketing, and merchandising strategies, identify challenges related to global toy standards and regulatory changes and solutions, useful practices in the collectibles market, and other relevant topics related to the licensing sector.
