The China International Housing and Construction Technology Fair opened in Shenzhen on November 26.

The fair, jointly sponsored by the ministries of construction, science and technology, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has attracted more than 400 domestic and overseas real estate developers and businessmen.

Themed "Human Settlements, Science and Technology, and the Environment", the fair features exhibitions of new building materials, construction technology, gardening and design, as well as information brochures on open-market housing.

Six seminars will be held with topics ranging from the housing industry in the 21st century to urban real estate in the 21st century.

Shenzhen has been a leader in the administration of urban development and housing construction in the country. It has received a number of awards for its achievements, including a prize given by the United Nations Center for Human Settlements ( Habitat) in 1992, and an honorable mention in the Sir Patrick Abercrombie Prize of the International Union of Architects (UIA) for its outstanding urban master plan.