China Economy: Major projects signed at Western China Fair for Investment and Trade in Chongqing

Projects worth tens of billions of U.S. dollars have been signed at the Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade that has just been held in southwest China's Chongqing. The fair attracted nearly 1,000 enterprises from 38 countries and regions. Our reporter GUO TIANQI has more.

"Joining hands with the West for a bright future" was the theme of the 5th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade, that ended in Chongqing on Sunday. The fair was designed to enhance and highlight the opening up efforts of western China.

Eighty-eight major projects have been signed with a record total value of about 42 billion USDs. Sichuan and Gansu were the guest provinces while Malaysia was invited as the guest country.

RAJA DATO' NUSHIRWAN ZAINAL ABIDIN Malaysian Ambassador to China "We are the guest country of honor, which is obviously a very big honor for Malaysia. We have with us about 34 companies including six universities now as well as companies offering products, for example, cosmetics, food, mainly food which includes palm oil, durians, bird's nest, coffee. The things which we've been exporting to China for a long time."

For investors, western China is rich in natural resources and has huge market potential. There has also been continuous improvement of infrastructure in this area, with investors increasingly interested in the digital economy, new energy vehicles, intelligent manufacturing and clean energy projects. And some are looking to further increase sales in western China.

AHMAD PARVEEZ GHULAM KADIR Director General, Malaysian Palm Oil Board "What we have seen last year around 3.14 million tons of palm oil and palm oil product has been exported to China with a value of around 2.31 billion RMB. We could actually take advantage of Chongqing in the western part of China. It's a landlocked area, where we have the connection, and this is where we hope the collaboration with Chongqing will help us to promote more of the palm oil product to what we call the western part of China."

Companies at the Chongqing investment and trade fair included those involved in electronic information, equipment manufacturing, advanced materials, energy, chemicals, medicine and health industries. Forums and activities held during the fair included some focusing on the construction of the New International Land-Sea Corridor, connecting western provinces of China to ASEAN countries and to the world. GUO TIANQI, CGTN.

来源：CGTN