An international think-tank was set up on Tuesday to strengthen cooperation in the exposition industry and to establish a service platform for high-tech commercialization, industrialization and internationalization.

The think-tank -- known as the Strategic Cooperation Advisory Committee for the China Beijing High-tech Expo -- was established at the closing ceremony of the six-day Fifth China Beijing International High-tech Expo.

Members of the committee include US-based COMDEX, Ericsson, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, US Qualcomm Group, Italy International Information Communication Technology Expo, the Economic and Business Development Bureau of the State of Utah, and the Zurich Insurance Service Group.

COMDEX representative Barbara Powers said: "We have come to realize that international exhibitions and conferences have become a major industry of the service sector and an important means to conduct economic and technological cooperation and exchange on an international level."

China's entry into the World Trade Organization and Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games implied the nation would engage itself in more extensive international economic cooperation with the result that the exposition industry would flourish.

The China Beijing International High-Tech Exposition attracted over 5,000 attendees from 68 foreign countries or regions and included a series of activities.

According to statistics from the organizing committee for the grand event, 397 contracts with a total value of US$7.35 billion were signed during the exposition.

(China Daily May 29, 2002)