Xiamen to hold investment, trade fair

XIAMEN -- Nearly 500 organizations from more than 100 countries have confirmed their attendance at the 16th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, which is scheduled to open in the coastal city of Xiamen on September 8, the organizers of the event said Monday.

As of Monday, seven major international economic organizations had confirmed their attendance for the four-day event, said Wang Qiongwen, an official with the fair's organizing committee.

"The organizations include the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the United Nations Environment Program, International Finance Corporation, World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies and World Trade Center Association," Wang said at a press conference.

Among the participants are 48 delegations from the United States, about 100 from Europe and 50 from emerging economies, including Russia, South Africa, Brazil and India, said Wang.

He said he expects the total number of participants to exceed 50,000, including government officials, executives from industrial associations, entrepreneurs, scholars and private investors.

More than 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Russia, India and South Africa, are planning to present their investment environments at the fair, he said.

More than 36,000 investment projects are up for grabs at this year's fair, covering the manufacturing, infrastructure construction, service, agriculture, animal husbandry and real estate sectors.

CIFIT, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, has been held annually in Xiamen since 1997.