Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, who attended the opening ceremony, said the fair has served to showcase China's achievements in hi-tech research and as an important platform to improve China's cooperation with other countries in the scientific, financial and information sectors.

He said he hoped both Chinese and foreign companies would take the fair as an opportunity to expand cooperation to produce more hi-tech products for consumers.

The annual hi-tech fair was initiated in 1999. Contracts sealed at the previous six fairs reached nearly US$63.6 billion.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2005)