Shenyang, capital of the northeastern province of Liaoning and one of China's most significant traditional industrial bases, will be a focus of transnational business this September. The Third China International Equipment Manufacturing Exposition, or CIEME 2004, will be held there from September 1 through 5.

The two previous CIEMEs, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, the China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and local governments, attracted thousands of exhibitors from 21 countries and regions. The event covers such areas as product exhibition, trade and commodity ordering, project negotiation and technological cooperation.

This year, the exposition will highlight the issue of the revitalization of northeast China. Last October, the Chinese government announced its general plans in this regard, and promised to offer preferential policies and funding.

In the pipeline are a host of projects, including construction of industrial parks, manufacturing proposals and technology development plans. The outlook for Liaoning's growth is sparking burgeoning demand for capital goods investment, high-tech machinery and advanced manufacturing systems.

"Shenyang and Liaoning Province provide abundant opportunities for both foreign investors interested in building up their manufacturing bases and international suppliers wanting to expand their market share in China," said Zhao Changyi, vice mayor of Shenyang.

An international team is organizing and managing this year's CIEME.

"The exposition will bring together international industrial machinery sellers and manufacturing buyers from all over China and other countries in Asia," said Dilys Yong Mee Hiong, CEO of Shenyang China-Singapore International Exhibitions and Conventions Ltd., one of the organizers.

CIEME 2004 will be a world-class event. Exhibits will be housed by classification, with machine tools and metalworking machinery displayed in different halls from those of printing and packaging machinery, manufacturing software and design, and industrial automation.

Organizers anticipate the total number of booths will exceed 2,600, with one-third occupied by foreign enterprises.

(China.org.cn March 25, 2004)