HANNOVER, Germany, March 15-- Top IT business fair CeBIT 2015, which features a strong Chinese presence, opened on Sunday in Hanover Germany.

CeBIT, the world's leading trade fair for information and communication technology, will be held this year during March 16-20. More than 3,400 companies from 70 countries regions are expected to showcase thousands of innovations from the digital world.

China is the official partner country of CeBIT 2015. Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai attended the opening ceremony of CeBIT 2015 on Sunday and gave a keynote speech.

During her address at the ceremony, German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed Chinese companies coming to CeBIT 2015, saying China's role as partner country of the fair is an essential component of German-Sino innovation cooperation.

"China is not only the biggest trade partner (for Germany) outside Europe, but also a partner in developing complex technologies," she said.

Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese eCommerce giant Alibaba, also gave a speech, focusing on the development of internet companies and future trends in relation to information and communication technology.

"We are sure that the whole world in next 30 years will be changed," he said. "If the first and the second innovation of the technology revolution liberated the human strength, the physical strength, this revolution liberate the strength of human brain."

He said the future world will be connected by data, instead of oil or other things.

Over 760 exhibitors from China, featuring a wide range of high-tech firms, including big names like Alibaba, Huawei, Xiaomi and ZTE, are taking part in this year's CeBIT show, with a theme of "Innovation, Convergence, Cooperation,".

On Monday, when the trade fair opened to visitors, an IT summit between Germany and China will also be held.

Earlier on Sunday, the fair's chief Oliver Frese said in a press conference that China would show its IT power via the exhibition and present "the strongest partner country presentation we've ever seen at CeBIT".