Huang Xiaoxiang, an official with the organizing committee, said 1,000 business people from a dozen countries including the United States, Britain, France and Russia, as well as thousands from Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao have applied to attend the fair.

According to Huang, eight exhibition halls covering an area of 40,000 square meters have been prepared for the display of commodities and for trade negotiations. One thousand business booths have been booked thus far.

The fair is an annual event jointly sponsored by the Sichuan provincial government, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

The first such fair was held in 2000.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2003)