The 7th Western China International Fair was successfully held in Chengdu, Sichuan from May 25 to 28, 2006. The fair was co-hosted by the Western Development Office of the State Council, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

 

With the theme of “Opening, Cooperation, Mutual Benefits, and Development”, the fair hit its highest level of specifications, exhibition scale, economic and trade performance, etc in history. Wu Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

 

Tin Naing Thein, Minister of Commerce of Myanmar, Razov, Russian Ambassador to China, Mikhail, Georgian Ambassador to China,  Yehoyada Haim, Israeli Ambassador to China, Wayne McCook, Jamaican Ambassador to China, Werner Hans Lauk, Minister of the German Embassy in China, Du Ruding, Deputy Minister of Trade of Vietnam, Piava, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Xie Jiekui, Deputy Executive Minister of Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, Shamahev, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs of Russia, the governors of 3 states of the Russian Federation, the governors of 6 prefectures of Thailand, and Lee Han-dong, former Prime Minister of ROK and other foreign guests attended the fair. Xu Shaoshi, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, Gao Hucheng, Vice Minister of Commerce, Cao Yushu, Deputy Director of the Western Development Office of the State Council, Yu Ping, Vice Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Li Xiaolin, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Wang Yiming, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Yu Peishun, Deputy Director of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and other leaders came to the fair to guide the work.

 

The 7th WCIF was held in Chengdu Century City New International Convention and Exhibition Center for the first time. The fair set up 9 professional pavilions: International Pavilion, Industrial Pavilion, Modern Transportation Pavilion, Urban-Rural Integration Construction & Commercial Real Estate Pavilion, Tourism-Culture-Food Pavilion, Education Exchange Pavilion, Health care Pavilion, Investment and Finance Pavilion, and Fashion Life Pavilion. 3,400 exhibitors participated in the exhibition with an exhibition area of more than 60,000 square meters, of which more than 70% were open booths. The foreign (overseas) merchants participating in the exhibition came from 53 countries and regions, including more than 20 ministerial dignitaries, ambassadors from 6 countries, consul generals from 8 consuls general to China and 7 commercial counselors; 103 government and business delegations from international economic organizations, the United States, Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, India, Spain, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Chinese Taiwan participated in the exhibition.

 

59 various supporting events were held, including 14 international and overseas economic and trade exchange events, among which Sichuan-Russian Federal District Economic and Trade Cooperation Week, Sino-US Economic and Trade Cooperation Fair, Sichuan International Procurement and Outsourcing Project Fair, German Day, and Vietnam Day were the richest in content and the most influential. 45 events inside and outside Sichuan were held, among which Sichuan Investment Briefing & Project Signing Ceremony, Western China Forestry Industry Development Summit, economic and trade cooperation and exchange activities of various provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, and the investment promotion projects with local characteristics in various cities and prefectures in Sichuan achieved remarkable results. At the same time, 7 cities in Sichuan established sister-city relations with foreign cities, and economic cooperation agreements were signed to jointly create good communication channels and promote bilateral economic development.

 

A total of 263 investment promotion project contracts were signed during this year’s WCIF, with a total contract value of 36.995 billion yuan; the introduction of capital from outside Sichuan and overseas countries was equivalent to 32.334 billion yuan, and 45 investment promotion agreements were signed with a total amount of 8.747 billion yuan. 148 trade contracts were signed, with a total contract value of 12.76 billion yuan, of which funds from outside the province and overseas countries were equivalent to 4.25 billion yuan; 142 trade agreements were signed, with a total agreement amount of 4.53 billion yuan; and the transaction at the exhibition site reached 528 million yuan.