The China Import and Export Fair, slated for April 15 to 30 in south China's Guangdong Province, will offer booths for foreign commodities for the first time.

 

About 300 enterprises from 37 countries and regions worldwide are expected to display their products in 629 booths in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong, according to Xu Bing, vice secretary general of the canton fair.

 

Among the enterprises, 78 are from Hong Kong, 42 from Taiwan, 37 from South Korea, 35 from Malaysia, 13 from the United States and others from Albania, Brazil, Iran, Israel, Yemen, Uganda and Zambia, said Xu. Some famous firms, like Audi, Ferrari and Yamaha, will appear at the fair.

 

The complex of exhibition halls, taking up 630,000 square meters, will have 31,682 booths, 274 more than the last edition.

 

Formerly called China Export Commodities Fair or the Canton Fair and showcasing only Chinese products, the 50-year-old fair changed to the current name for the upcoming 101st session to reflect an expansion of imports in recent years.

 

The biannual fair is held in spring and autumn. The last edition attracted 192,691 buyers from 212 countries and regions, including 106,716 from around Asia, followed by Europe, America and Africa.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2007)