The 3rd Western China International Fair was held in Chengdu, Sichuan from May 25 to 28, 2002. The fair was hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the People's Government of Sichuan Province. It was officially named "The 3rd Western China International Fair" with the theme of "Western China Connected to the World". 

 

Sun Fuling, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and leaders of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce attended the fair, as well as James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank delivered a speech at the fair. More than 1,400 foreign merchants from 30 countries and regions including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan, more than 1,000 merchants from outside Sichuan, as well as more than 4,000 representatives of delegations and enterprises from cities and prefectures in Sichuan participated in the fair. 

 

During the fair, 267 project investment cooperation agreements (contracts) were signed, with a total investment of RMB 19.797 billion. Among them, RMB 16.004 billion of funds were introduced by agreements (contracts) including 43 foreign-funded projects, with a total investment of USD 363 million, and USD 255 million of foreign funds were introduced by agreements (contracts); 224 domestic cooperation projects were signed, with a total investment of RMB 16.784 billion, and RMB 13.887 billion of domestic funds were introduced by agreements (contracts). A total of 48 trade agreements (contracts) were signed with a contract value of RMB 6.42 billion and on-site retail sales of more than RMB 200 million.

 

 The fair focused on four major themes of IT industry, food industry, agriculture and cultural industry, and set up Professional Pavilion, International Pavilion, and Domestic Comprehensive Pavilion. It attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors with more than 1,400 booths, covering an area of 30,000 square meters, and a special exhibition area of more than 8,000 square meters. The 2002 Western China International IT Expo, jointly organized by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (Information Technology), China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association, Hong Kong Computer Chamber of Commerce, and Hong Kong Electronic Components Chamber of Commerce, attracted more than 300 IT companies from around the world. This year's WCIF developed from comprehensive to professional subjects.

 

A total of 22 professional seminars and trade fairs were held during the fair. Sichuan Province held an investment briefing and launched 383 key investment promotion projects. In addition, Shaanxi Province, Guangzhou City, Bayingolin Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang, and Zoetermeer City of Netherlands held project promotion conferences and investment environment briefings.