In order to boost the regional economic cooperation among Central, West and South Asian and European countries, and to promote the all-round development of Xinjiang, the Chinese government decided to upgrade China Urumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fair (Urumqi Fair) to China-Eurasia Expo from 2011 and hold it in Urumqi, China every September.
China-Eurasia Expo is sponsored by 29 ministries and commissions such as the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cosponsored by 22 provinces and cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, undertaken by ten entities such as Xinjiang Department of Commerce and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and will invite international institutions such as the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Asian Development Bank, as well as the economic departments, trade and industry departments and trade investment promotion institutions of neighboring countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, India, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey as international cosponsors. The exposition will be an international and general event integrating cargo trade, service trade, investment cooperation, cultural exchange with thematic forums, fully display the economic achievements ofChinaand its neighboring Eurasian countries, and provide a superb opportunity and site for trade, investment and economic cooperation.
The biggest highlight of the 1st China-Eurasia Expo will be the “1+9”forums, including the main forum “China-Eurasia Forum on Economic Development and Cooperation”, a summit sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce with the aim of probing into the matters concerning the regional economic cooperation between China and Eurasian countries. Then, major Chinese state leaders and high-ranking government officials of Central, West and South Asian and European countries will be present and deliver speeches. Apart from the main forum, the Ministry of Commerce and other relevant state departments will hold nine ministerial high-level forums on subjects such as agriculture, tourism, press, culture and finance. The forums include the “Forum on Overseas Chinese Merchants and Development of Xinjiang”, “News Minister Forum”, “Forum on Scientific and Technological Exchange and Cooperation”, “Forum on Agricultural Cooperation and Development”, “China-Eurasia Forum on Tourism Cooperation and Development”, “Financial Cooperation Forum”, “Central, West and South Asia Forum on Regional Interconnection, Port Construction and Clearance Facilitation”, “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Day” and “Chinese and Foreign Culture Week”. Then, the sponsoring ministries and commissions, high-ranking government officials of Central, West and South Asian and European countries, persons in charge of investment promotion institutions as well as celebrated scholars will be present.
The 1st Asia-Eurasia Expo is proposed to set up 2,150 indoor international standard booths and an outdoor exhibition area of 45,000 square meters, and to involve four Sectors-Eurasian Countries, investment image and foreign cooperation, distinctive Xinjiang and professional commodities. In order to demonstrate the construction and development achievements of Chinese high-tech products and industry parks, the sector of high-tech products and industry parks will be set up. The sector of Eurasian countries is proposed to set up 180 booths, which will display the investment environments of Central, West and South Asian and European countries, introduce investment policies, match investment and cooperation projects and demonstrate featured commodities through national exhibitions and commodity exhibitions. Then, the economic and trade and industry departments and trade and investment promotion institutions of Eurasian countries will organize delegations for the exposition.
Source: Ministry of Commerce Website; http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/aarticle/newsrelease/counselorsoffice/bilateralexchanges/201106/20110607594232.html
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