The 11th Western China International Fair (WCIF) will open on October 22nd in Chengdu. According to the latest statistics by the WCIF’s Organizing Committee, this year’s total exhibition area reaches 160,000 square meters and exhibitors exceed 60,000 people, both hitting record high in WCIF’s history.

　　5 foreign political leaders will attend the WCIF. They are: Heng Samrin, President of National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Boungnang Vorachith, Vice President of Lao People's Democratic Republic, Parmanand Jha, Vice President of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, John Nkomo, Vice President of Republic of Zimbabwe, and Troung Vinh Trong, Deputy Prime Minister of Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

In addition, over 40 ministerial-level officials from India, Pakistan, the United States of America and other countries, officials from Secretariat of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and other international organizations, over 200 heads of important business associations, senior executives from the world top 500 enterprises and renowned overseas enterprises, a total number of 52 delegations and over 40 officials above deputy provincial level from state host ministries, organizers in Western China, provinces and municipalities in Eastern and Central China and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan will also attend relevant activities.

　　93 activities will be carried out during this year’s WCIF, among which 8 are major events, 85 are specialized activities.

　　WCIF’s Organizing Committee said that all preparation work for the two major events on the day of the opening of WCIF - the Opening Ceremony of the 11th WCIF and the 3rd Western China International Cooperation Forum has been completed by the end of October 21st.

　　During the Western China International Cooperation Forum, all parties will discuss and explore jointly economic cooperation in Pan-Asian region, establishment of a Pan-Asian transportation system with improved land, sea and air traffic and other major issues concerning economic cooperation inductive to the well-being of the people in Pan-Asian region and in Western China.

　　The first China-Indian Business Forum is one of the most important events marking the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. By then, more than 200 people including heads of Ministry of Food Processing of India, experts and scholars from India and China and representatives from enterprise associations will attend the Forum.

　　China Purchaser Convention will attract 11,700 purchasing agents, 30,000 exhibitors and suppliers among which 4600 are overseas purchasers from 43 countries and regions and 7100 are Chinese purchasers from 23 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities), taking up 40% and 60% respectively.

　　This year’s WCIF covers a total area of 160,000 square meters. Its main venue: Century City New International Convention Center is divided into International Cooperation Hall, Western Development Strategy’s Contribution Hall, High-Tech Hall and Competitive Industries Hall. Altogether 3153 enterprises from 44 countries and regions, 30 provinces and municipalities as well as Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps will exhibit in the WCIF. Enterprises outside Sichuan Province account for 82.1% of the total number and 81.2% of exhibiting area.

　　Surrounded by over 20 large groups of plant sculptures and decorated by more than 3 million pots of flowers including Impatiens, cosmos, azaleas, etc., Chengdu is immersed in the strong atmosphere of the Western China International Fair. To ensure the traffic during WCIF, Chengdu will add 1000 shifts of buses every day on main lines in main urban zone with more than 10,000 buses all set. Line 1 of Chengdu Metro will shorten its previous interval from 8 minutes to 7 minutes.

　　This WCIF has attracted media attention from home and abroad. Until 5 p.m on October 21st, Publicity Department of Provincial Party Committee and Publicity Office of Provincial Party Committee have invited and organized 1256 correspondents from 212 media to cover this year’s WCIF among which 49 are central media, 21 are overseas media and 48 are from Eastern and Central Provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities.)

　　From 9 a.m this morning, Sichuan Satellite TV will broadcast live the opening ceremony of the 11th Western China International Fair and from 11 a.m, the 3th Western China International Cooperation Forum will be broadcasted live.
 

• October 25th, 2010