The Eighth Investment and Trade Fair for Cooperation Between East and West China opened Monday in Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The event aims to expand the scope of cooperation between east and west China and promote the involvement of non-state enterprises in regrouping property rights at state-owned enterprises.

The fair has attracted prestigious enterprises in Japan, the Republic of Korea and southeast Asian countries, Hong Kong and Macao. Domestic enterprises from almost all major Chinese provinces and autonomous regions have sent delegations to the fair, which was jointly organized by 24 Chinese provinces and government organizations.

The fair is divided into two zones. One caters to trade talks and the other for display of commodities at 2,200 business booths.

The fair, launched in 1997, has become an important national economic and trade event and an important platform for exchanges and cooperation between China's east and west. It has played an active role in promoting the opening-up of the country's western regions.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2004)