Photo: Courtesy of The 19th Western China International Fair

The opening ceremony of the 19th Western China International Fair (WCIF) was held in Chengdu on June 29. The WCIF will last five days, with the theme of "New Era of China, New Opportunities for Western China."

Photo: Courtesy of The 19th Western China International Fair

 

Photo: Courtesy of The 19th Western China International Fair

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), delivered a speech and announced the opening. Huang Qiang, deputy secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and governor of Sichuan Province, presided over the opening ceremony. Senate speaker of Thailand - the guest country of honor at this year's WCIF - Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, and Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha delivered speeches along with other distinguished guests.

Pornpetch said the WCIF is an important event in China and they are honored to participate as the guest country of honor. "We will showcase the development achievements and strengths in various fields at the Thai National Pavilion. The WCIF is an effective platform for many Chinese entrepreneurs and investors to understand Thailand's investment policies and opportunities. It will further promote economic and trade cooperation between Thailand and Sichuan Province, as well as with western China, making the long-term friendly relations between the two countries more stable and closer. We are willing to maintain close cooperation with western China on the platform of the WCIF and provide relevant support."

The Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Economic Cooperation and the Sichuan International Expo Group will jointly perform the duties of the Secretariat of the Organizing Committee of this year's WCIF, and will be responsible for the specific organization and implementation of the event.

A total of 50 events will be held during this year's WCIF, such as the 12th Western China Investment Promotion Fair & Contract Signing Ceremony of Economic Cooperation Projects, the 14th Western China International Sourcing Fair, and the 17th EU-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair. Themed pavilions and professional exhibitions such as the "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Pavilion and the New Era Western Development Pavilion have been set up. With an exhibition area of 200,000 square meters, the WCIF brings together important development achievements in the western regions and more than 500 domestic and foreign technological products and lifestyle products. More than 30 various investment promotion activities will be held, and a large number of major projects will be signed.

According to reports, nearly 100 countries and regions have participated in the previous 18 fairs with a total of nearly 1,160 attendances. About 65,000 enterprises and 550,000 guests from home and abroad have come to participate, with a cumulative exhibition area of 2.26 million square meters. The investment amount of signed projects exceeded 7.4 trillion yuan ($1.02 trillion), which has effectively promoted the development and opening-up of the western regions.