Zhongshan, a Pearl River Delta city in Guangdong province, is expected to become a new production base for optoelectronic, high-end laser and advanced equipment industries through expanding cooperation with companies from outside the city.

Hou Yibin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Zhongshan Communist Party committee, said his city especially expects to be able to attract more optoelectronic and laser companies from home and abroad to set up their production facilities and research institutes in Zhongshan in the years to come.

"The home town of Sun Yat-sen, father of republican China, has given priority to the development of optoelectronic, high-end laser and advanced equipment industries in the upcoming years," he said.

The city now annually invests more than 30 million yuan ($4.76 million) to support the development of optoelectronic industrial development and help attract optoelectronic and high-end laser projects to settle down in the city, according to Hou.

Hou made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Optoelectronic, Laser and Equipment Fair on Thursday.

"Special preferential policies have been introduced for the development of the city's optoelectronic, high-end laser and advanced equipment industries," he said.

Zhongshan alone has registered more than 140 optoelectronic companies that are playing a big part in the city's economic construction, Hou said.

"And the fair that kicks off on Thursday builds a special platform and provides a myriad of business opportunities for Sino-foreign companies to expand their cooperation," he added.

Covering a floor space of more than 20,000 square meters, a total of 295 companies from home and abroad are displaying more than 1,000 different kinds of new and high-tech products in the optoelectronic, high-end laser and advanced equipment industries to seek expanded cooperation during the three-day event.

Special forums, seminars and lectures will also be held during the event.

Duan Yupeng, a senior executive from Penta Laser (Wenzhou) Co Ltd, said Zhongshan has the advantages to further develop its optoelectronic and laser industries, as the city has attracted many optoelectronic and laser companies from home and abroad after years of development.

"And the city government pays great attention to the development of optoelectronic and high-end laser industries," he said.