Northwestern Region: A Spectacular Investment Destination

With rich general and energy resources as well as a unique geographic position, the northwestern region of China has become popular with both domestic and overseas investors.

Regional exhibitions and trade fairs have provided many opportunities for these investors.

In September alone, Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, hosted four large economic and trade fairs. One, the Urumqi Foreign Economic and Trade Fair attracted 15,000 Chinese and overseas business people.

Other provinces in northwestern region have also become the focus of worldwide interest.

The 2001 China Western Forum, convened in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province on September 4-6, attracted leaders from 26 of the world's top 500 enterprises, leaders of major Chinese enterprises, Chinese and overseas experts and scholars, foreign diplomats in China and representatives of international organizations. Forum investment contracts reached 600 million U.S. dollars.

Lu Ruihua, governor of economically-developed Guangdong Province, south China, said that as the development of western region also meant development opportunities for Guangdong it should participate in the campaign.

This month, Lu led a delegation of more than 2,000 people to Xinjiang to attend the Guangdong-Xinjiang Economic and Trade Fair, resulting in 7.5 billion yuan worth of bilateral contracts.

Prior to the Guangdong entrepreneurs' visit, Xinjiang had received a delegation of over 4,000 business people from northeast China's Liaoning Province, also seeking business opportunities in the region.

During the 10th Urumqi Foreign Economic and Trade Fair, overseas businessmen from the United States, Canada, France, Japan, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong and Taiwan signed 1.33 billion U.S. dollars worth of investment contracts. The investment field covered agriculture, gas pipelines, wind generated electricity, environmental protection, border trade, food processing and pharmaceuticals.

To develop the western region and explore the markets in central and western Asia, Xinjiang needs to cooperate with the inland area of China and foreign counterparts, said Abdul'ahat Abdurixit, chairman of the government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, adding that will promote bilateral common development.






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