China to hold expo to boost trade, investment in central region

BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The 13th Expo Central China will be held in Hunan Province, as part of efforts to facilitate trade and investment in the country's central region, the Ministry of Commerce said.

The expo, scheduled from May 31 to June 2, will feature more than 20 activities, including exhibitions, project matchmaking and investment promotion, Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji told a press conference Tuesday.

China's central region includes the six provinces of Shanxi, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi. The country has highlighted accelerating the rise of the central region as part of measures to promote the coordinated regional development.

According to Ling, investment promotion at the expo will feature advanced manufacturing industry, including new materials, electronic information engineering and new energy vehicles.

Project matchmaking activities will focus on helping companies with overseas market expansion and promoting cooperation among sci-tech, industrial and financial sectors.

So far, about 60 foreign institutions, chambers of commerce and associations and nearly 100 multinational companies across the world have signed up for the expo, with around 800 enterprises expected to participate in the exhibition, Ling said.

Since it was first launched in 2006, the expo has played an important role in promoting the coordinated development of regional economy and expanding the opening up of the central region.

A total of 433 projects were inked at the 12th Expo Central China, among which 25 were projects with foreign investments, data showed.