Northwest China's Gansu Province has signed 45 contracts with the European Union, involving a total investment of US$142 million.

Of the total sum, US$62 million were provided by the European Union. The principal investors included Britain, France, Germany and Sweden.

The cooperation covers a wide range of subjects including machinery, chemical industry, textile, foodstuffs, animal husbandry and recreation projects.

The import and export value between Gansu and the European Union totaled US$84 million last year. It had used US$150 million-worth of loans offered by countries of the European Union in building telecom, power, water supply, environmental protection, medical and light industrial projects by the end of 2000.

A provincial economic and trade official said the above-mentioned projects had yielded great economic and social results. The province will continue to strengthen economic cooperation with the European Union in future.