SINGAPORE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Singapore Airshow 2020, Asia's largest aerospace and defense exhibition, kicked off here Tuesday at the Changi Exhibition Centre, with lesser exhibitors this year due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus.
The biennial event was officially opened by Singapore's Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, Khaw Boon Wan and Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen.
The show which will last until Feb. 16, was originally expected to lure 40,000 trade visitors and over 930 participating companies from more than 45 countries.
But more than 70 exhibitors decided not to show up at the event, representing less than one-tenth of the overall presence in the exhibition hall. An aviation leadership summit to be held on the sidelines of the airshow was also cancelled, Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director, Experia Events Pte Ltd, organiser of Singapore Airshow 2020 said earlier at a press conference.
The airshow took place just a few days after Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Feb. 7 to raise the risk assessment of Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) to the second highest level.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force's Bayi Aerobatics Team was among the three teams performing at the airshow. The other two are from the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the United States Air Force.
