The 10th Western China International Fair (hereinafter referred to as the WCIF) is hosted by 11 national ministries and commissions, including National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, 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, 12 western provinces (regions and municipalities), including Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Chongqing, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, co-hosted by State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and organized by Sichuan Provincial People’s Government. The fair is successfully held in Chengdu from October 16 to 20, 2009. 

 

There are a number of characteristics in this year’s WCIF, including high standard, large scale, many highlights, significant results, and wide-ranging influence. Wen Jiabao, the member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony and delivered an important speech at the 2nd Western China International Forum. He pointed out, “The determination of the Chinese government to implement the strategy for the development of Western China will not be shaken, the policy will not be changed, and the intensity will not be weakened. This is because the level of development in western China will determine the process of China’s modernization, and the breadth and depth of China’s opening up.” Heads of governments of 6 countries including Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, 70 ministerial officials and diplomatic envoys to China from 27 countries, and guests from 88 countries and regions around the world attended the conference. A total of 157 heads of international business associations and 580 well-known entrepreneurs at home and abroad attended relevant important events, and more than 60,000 Chinese and foreign business guests attended the conference.

 

This year’s WCIF exhibition covers an area of 150,000 square meters, an increase of 30,000 square meters compared with last year, equivalent to 10,833 international standard booths; 55 countries and regions participated in the exhibition, and for the first time, all 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps organized to participate in the exhibition; 4,938 exhibitors participated in the exhibition, which is 2,638 more than the number of the last year (2,300), an increase of 114.74%.

 

Significant achievements have been made in the exhibition trade and investment of this year’s WCIF. The total trade turnover and investment promotion totaled 235.8 billion yuan. The on-site transaction volume of the exhibition halls and the signed trade contract transaction volume totaled 144.66 billion yuan, exceeding the volume of last year (57.667 billion yuan), of which the on-site transaction volume was 21.93 billion yuan and the trade contract transaction volume was 122.73 billion yuan. A total of 1,317 buyers and 6,206 suppliers participated in the sourcing fair, of which a large number of large domestic and foreign consortia and enterprises, such as General Electric, Wal-Mart, B&Q, Carrefour, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Corporation, and the United Nations Procurement Center, and other government procurement units attended the fair for sourcing. During the entire exhibition, 12 western provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps signed a total of 1,339 investment projects, with a total investment of 591.14 billion yuan.

 

This year’s WCIF contains various events. A total of 68 conference activities were carried out, including 18 major events, 50 special economic and trade events, and 40 etiquette events. The fair adopted the 2009 Pan-Asian Economic Cooperation Action Plan, which mainly put forward the initiative to strengthen cooperation in four key fields in the Pan-Asian region, namely, infrastructure construction, investment, financing and trade, social development, and multi-level exchanges. The plan also calls for the pan-Asian region to work together to cope with the severe impact of the financial crisis, overcome difficulties and achieve mutual benefits.

 

After 10 years of development, WCIF has become the important platform for trade cooperation, investment promotion, and diplomatic service for western China. This year’s WCIF is not only a stage for showing the results of the 10-year development of Western China, but also a new starting point for the in-depth promotion of the development of Western China. It has played an important role in promoting and accelerating the development of Western China.