More than 1,070 international participants from 63 countries and regions, including 49 nations and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, gathered in Linyi, Shandong province, from Thursday to Saturday to explore trade cooperation opportunities.

By Friday, trade intentions worth 5.57 billion yuan ($784.36 million) had been secured, according to statistics released at the opening ceremony of the second edition of the Linyi Trade City International Sourcing Conference for BRI Cooperation.

These delegates engaged in discussions and negotiations with over 3,000 local production and business enterprises.

The conference this year featured one main venue and 13 specialized sessions, showcasing a wide range of products including small commodities, home building materials, cultural and sports goods, daily necessities, ceramics, hardware and garden machinery.

Linyi boasts 131 specialized wholesale markets, making it one of China's largest market clusters. The city serves as a comprehensive logistics hub, seamlessly integrating road, rail, sea, air and postal services.

In recent years, Linyi has capitalized on opportunities presented by the BRI to expand the city's international markets through initiatives like the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive trial zones, aviation ports, and the China-Europe freight train assembly center. To date, the city has fostered economic and trade relations with 129 countries and regions participating in the BRI, said the city government.