Volume of export transactions reached 1.69 billion US dollars at the Eastern China Import and Export Commodities Fair, the first grand trade gathering after China's WTO entry, or up 10 percent from the last.
A total of 13,600 overseas business representatives came to the fair which closed Thursday in Shanghai, 29 percent more than last year.
Overseas business representatives came from 154 countries and regions, but those from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong were the largest in number.
Trade volumes with Japan, the European Union, the United States and the Republic of Korea were respectively 509 million US dollars, 270 million US dollars, 259 million US dollars and 92 million US dollars, while the figure with Hong Kong and Macao was 200 million US dollars.
Taiwan business people reported a remarkable 50 percent rise in numbers attending the fair, or 1,340 in total.
Analysts said Taiwanese investment in the Chinese mainland would rise further as the mainland's stable economy offered huge opportunities and market potential for Taiwan businesses.
(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2002)
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