The 2003 Changchun Economic and Trade Fair Online will be held from July 2 through July 12 on the website (http://invest.changchun.gov.cn) of the municipal government of Changchun, capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province, according to a press conference held in Beijing Wednesday.

Vice Mayor of Changchun City Cui Jie introduced the arrangement, content of the fair and relevant preparations.

Cui noted that in order to be better integrated into the world economy and speed up its pace of opening-up, the Changchun municipal government decided to hold the online fair, the first one to invite foreign investment through the Internet in Changchun. It will be an important measure to boost local e-government and e-commerce activities.

The online fair organizer has set a theme of Internet Communication and Economic Development. Meanwhile, it tries to build the online image of prestigious Changchun City, boost foreign investment, and quicken economic development. Cui Jie said that the fair would make full use of information technology to present Changchun's good investment environment from all angles, and offer all kinds of online services.

So far, the fair has gathered more than 1,000 investment items, 670 categories of goods and 800 enterprises from development zones in the city. They cover such trades of auto, machinery, photo electronics, foodstuff, light industry, building material and real estate.

The organizing committee of this online fair has sent 50,000 invitation letters to key Chinese and foreign enterprises. The trade fair has received support from Chinese embassies, foreign commercial organizations, commercial agencies and overseas Chinese communicates. To date, nearly 100 business organizations and enterprises from 10-odd countries and regions have shown great interest in the trade fair through their close online contact.

(China.org.cn June 27, 2003)