FRANKFURT -- The 65th International Motor Show (IAA) kicked off here on Thursday, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel attending the opening ceremony.

Theming "electric mobility" and "connected vehicle," the exhibition attracted 1,098 exhibitors from 35 countries, which brought 159 automobile products for their premieres in the following 10 days.

In total, 42 percent of the 1,098 participants are foreign exhibitors, with 42 percent from Asia.

Matthias Wissmann, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, described this show as one that is "throwing open the window to the future."

He noted that the development of "electric vehicles" will contribute to improving the environment, while the "connected vehicles" will not only enhance driving safety and comfort, but also show the trend "towards partially automated driving, and later to highly automated driving."

Among the 129 exhibitors, China is the largest foreign participant, followed by the United Kingdom (85 exhibitors), France (34) and Japan (31).

The IAA was first held in 1897 and is one of the largest fairs in the automobile industry.