A total of 21 foreign countries and international organizations will attend the Oct. 12-17 Sixth China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) in Shenzhen, three more than last year.

Apart from the three newcomers, Finland, New Zealand and Hungary, there will also be the United States, Germany, Canada and Australia, which have attended all previous five fairs.

The Australian delegation has increased its exhibition space to 42 sq.m from last year's six sq.m, striving to promote its high-tech businesses and investment environment.

It will face fierce competition from other countries. South Korea plans to send three delegations this year, organized by its central government, a major city and a national IT association.

The United States has also considerably expanded its delegation size with a new delegation from San Diego.

However, the greatest challenge will come from France's three delegations organized by the French Agency for International Business Development, Languedoc-Roussillon and Vienne provinces.

They have booked a total exhibition space of nearly 300 sq.m to feature some 40 enterprises, making France the largest foreign exhibitor this year.

France leads the world in bioscience, telecommunications, space technology and new energy research. It will promote its recent achievements in wireless communications, software design and digital processing.

(Shenzhen Daily September 15, 2004)