Trade fair attracts overseas firms

By Ma Lie (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-04-05 16:26

XI'AN -- More than 5,000 overseas business people came to look for business and cooperation chances in the 13^th East-West China Cooperation & Investment Trade Fair opened Sunday in Xi’an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province.

For the first time, Czech Republic launched its State exhibition hall of 500 sq m to display its cooperation projects and products such food, clothing and jewelry.

A businessman from Czech Republic introduced his products to Chinese partners during the 13th East-West China Cooperation & Investment Trade Fair which is held from April 5 to 8 in Xi’an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province. [Ma Lie/China Daily]

Pavel Veleslavina, a jewelry businessman from Czech, told China Daily that he wanted to make full use of the fair as a platform to allow more Chinese partners to know his business.

“In the situation of financial crisis hit around the world, China is strong in both economic development and investment cooperation. We have good investment climate with cheaper labor force and high-tech technicians in Czech and we hope Chinese partners to invest in our country,” Pavel said.

Also, more than 500 delegations from the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, Austria, as well as those from China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are attending the fair.

According to Jing Junhai, deputy director of the fair’s organizing committee and deputy governor of Shaanxi province, a total of 201 overseas delegations from 44 countries and regions are seeking business and cooperation opportunities in the fair with more than 100,000 Chinese partners.

Six exhibition halls with 2,600 display booths were set for displaying the projects of joint venture with foreign investment, tourism, culture, science and technology research results, patented technology, equipment manufacturing, energy-saving and environmental protection industry.

“We did have some pressure to organize this year’s fair in the current financial crisis, but our effort made a good opening with so many people from both home and abroad, and we hope it is a good opportunity to help overcome the difficulties in current world financial crisis,” said Yao Chaoying, the fair’s executive committee.

Co-sponsored by seven State committees and ministries including National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Commerce and 28 provincial governments, autonomous regions and municipalities, the annual fair has become a grand trade and economic promotion since 1997 when it was launched in Xi’an.

During the past 12 fairs, some 10,655 project contracts were signed with a total investment valuing 979.5 billion yuan ($143 billion) and 1,527 cooperation contracts with foreign investment were signed with a total investment of $22.53 billion.