Exhibition scale expansion, co-operation with neighbouring foreign countries, revitalizing traditional industrial bases in Northeast China and more economic and cultural activities will be highlighted at the upcoming 17th China Harbin Fair for Trade and Economic Co-operation (Harbin Fair).
The fair, which is being held at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Centre from today until June 19, is drawing attention from visitors and exhibitors at home and abroad.
Sources with the organizing committee said the fair would cover an area of 161,000 square metres, and host 2,000 international exhibition booths.
In terms of exhibition scale, some professional pavilions will be set up covering sectors such as organic food, the high-tech industry, machinery and electricity, furniture and building materials, pharmaceuticals, chemical industry, light industry, textile and garment and the culture industry. There will also be pavilions for foreign countries and China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions.
Jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, the State Council's office for the revitalization of Northeast China and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, this year's fair will be more international by increasing its co-organizers.
A total of 12 international governmental and business organizations from seven countries and regions, such as Russia, Japan and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the United Nations Industry Development Organization and the United Nations Development and Planning Organization, will jointly organize the event, and will help it to gain more attention worldwide.
Meanwhile, there will be many World Top 500 multinational corporations, professional purchasers and top enterprises attending the event. About 11,000 overseas business representatives from 80 countries and regions and 110,000 domestic representatives are expecting to participate in the fair.
Therefore, the Harbin Fair has been upgraded from a national event to an international expo, which will further intensify its influence both at home and abroad, making the co-ordination of relevant organizations much smoother and more powerful, the organizing committee said.
As the Harbin Fair adheres to the principle of taking Russia, CIS countries and East European countries as its main partners, this year's event will further promote business and trade ties with them.
Furthermore, it has also paid attention to inviting businesses from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, as well as countries from Southeast Asia, the European Union, North America and Oceania.
Some economic activities will be launched during the display, including the Korean Business Day, Hong Kong Business Day, as well as Japanese Business Week.
As the Year of Russia in China this year is believed to be an unprecedented opportunity for economic and trade co-operation between China and Russia, the 17th Harbin Fair has been listed as the key event by both countries.
Sino-Russian bilateral trade volume registered US$29.1 billion last year, an increase of 37 per cent from the previous year.
Compared with the previous fair, 50 per cent more Russian exhibitors organized by the Russian Federal Government, will attend the 17th fair.
The exhibition of Russian machinery, and electrical and high-tech products will be further enlarged. Another activity, named "Russian Business Week", one of the main commercial activities, will be held during the fair.
Echoing the nation's strategy of revitalizing traditional industrial bases in Northeast China, the fair will hold a special exhibition to display co-operative projects in this field.
Projects related to revitalizing traditional industrial bases cover equity reform of the State-owned enterprises in Northeast China and the development of Harbin-Daqing-Qiqihar Industrial Corridor.
Meanwhile, a series of international business activities, forums and seminars, as well as the cultural and sports exchange activities will be launched at the 17th trade show.
These activities include various exhibitions, business discussions, contract signing ceremonies, art evening shows, international basketball matches, as well as Russian ballet performances and Russian figure skating shows.
A number of diverse cultural programmes will also take place in the major squares of the city of Harbin.
