The Sixth Investment and Trade Fair for Cooperation Between Eastern and Western China, an annual event since 1997, has attracted delegations from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, governments of 28 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions and the Production and Construction Corps in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, over 8,000 enterprises from home and abroad, and more than 100,000 Chinese and overseas businessmen.

The current fair is jointly sponsored by the State Economic and Trade Commission, other central ministries and commissions, and governments of 23 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of China.

The fair offers more than 3,000 projects that invite investment. The fields of cooperation range from infrastructure construction, environmental protection, high-tech industries, to development of

resources and trade in the service sector.

The five-day event involves trade activities concerning investment, high-tech achievements and commodities.

This year's annual event also includes talks for the western region to attract overseas investment, an information technology expo, a national exhibition of packing machinery, a forum on the World Trade Organization and development of west China, a seminar on international mergers and restructuring of assets, and a forum for the medicine industry.

(People's Daily April 6, 2002)