West China International Fair was originated from the development of Western China in May 2000 with Chengdu as the permanent host city. Upholding the principle of co-hosting, sharing, and mutual benefits, WCIF is a national and international comprehensive fair hosted and supported by 16 ministries and commissions including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 12 western provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, together with the Boao Forum for Asia, and organized by the People’s Government of Sichuan Province. So far, WCIF has been successfully held for 15 years, and has become an important window and the best platform for Western China’s opening up to the outside world, and an important platform for investment promotion, trade cooperation and diplomatic service for Western China, and an important carrier for Western China to realize western cooperation, east-west cooperation, and Sino-foreign cooperation. In 2014, WCIF was included by the Chinese government as a national large-scale institutional foreign-related forum and exhibition project. In March 2015, WCIF was included in the Belt and Road Initiative Government White Paper, and became one of the top 10 major exhibitions in China to promote the Belt and Road initiative.

 

WCIF actively promotes investment and economic development, focuses on serving the development of Western China, and insists on highlighting characteristics of Western China, internationalization, economic and trade achievements, and investment promotion. In the previous 15 WCIFs, more than 10,000 investment cooperation agreements were signed with a total investment amount of about 5.22 trillion yuan. 

 

WCIF focuses on deepening trade cooperation and achieving mutual benefit. In the previous 15 WCIFs, there were a total of 914 overseas participating countries (regions), exhibition areas of 1.604 million square meters, 46,800 exhibiting companies, more than 344,000 guests (including 95,000 overseas guests), and trade transaction of 1.25 trillion yuan.

 

WCIF promotes high-level diplomatic interaction and enhances international exchanges. Li Keqiang, Wang Qishan, Wang Yang, Ma Kai, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao and other Party and state leaders, more than 30 foreign dignitaries and more than 500 ministerial officials and heads of important international organizations have attended the previous 15 WCIFs. The 15th WCIF was held in Chengdu from October 23 to November 3, 2014, with a total exhibition area of 240,000 square meters and was held in two sections for the first time. In the 15th WCIF, 8,881 companies from 76 countries and regions participated in the fair (including 2,951 overseas companies); 14 countries including the United States and Germany set up national pavilions; Vice Premier Ma Kai attended the fair and delivered a speech; France served as the guest country of honor. Czech President Milos Zeman and other 2 foreign dignitaries, 48 foreign ministerial officials, 53 diplomatic envoys to China, 15 officials of international organizations, and more than 40 important foreign guests and delegations attended the fair. More than 60,000 guests from 98 countries and regions around the world attended the conference (including more than 20,000 foreign guests), and the volume of visitors in the main exhibition venue exceeded 550,000. A total of 1,067 investment projects were signed, with an investment contract amount totaling 805.09 billion yuan.

 

The 16th WCIF will be held overyear for the first time. With the theme of “Western China, Global Opportunities”, this year’s WCIF will be held in two sections from November 3 to 14, 2016, with an exhibition area of about 200,000 square meters. During the fair, Germany will serve as the guest country of honor, Guizhou Province will serve as the rotating presidency, and Suining City will serve as the themed city. This year’s WCIF will focus on reforms and innovations in forums, event organization, exhibitions, and guest invitations. It will prominently serve the Belt and Road initiative, highlight the elements of the initiative, and continuously enhance the influence and attractiveness.