Xinjiang bolsters efforts to reap rewards from fair
The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region expects to receive more investment opportunities thanks to its role as the Guest Province of Honor at the 18th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, said Zhang Yuzhong, an official from the Xinjiang commerce department.
By Sept 4, there were more than 400 programs with intent registered with CIFIT online, nearly six times the number of contracts at the last session. The Xinjiang delegation signed 70 contracts, worth 26 billion yuan ($4.24 billion) at the last session.
This year Xinjiang organized a delegation of more than 800 members, twice that of 2013.
Zhang said the region's participation scale and level were enhanced to better serve the role of guest province.
"It will be a gala to celebrate the land Silk Road and the maritime Silk Road," he said.
Xinjiang has focused on Silk Road Economic Belt projects since Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed it last year. The plans aim to boost regional cooperation with Central Asian countries.
As a professional fair targeting investment, CIFIT can bring Xinjiang's companies capital and also new concepts and ideas, Zhang said.
"The companies and programs we chose are mainly related to the Silk Road Economic Belt and feature industries, such as logistics, petrochemical, textile and fruits," he said.
Fengqingyuan Biotech Co was a newcomer to this year's CIFIT. Dong Kaiyuan, president of the company, said his employees were busy laying anti-bird nets at the firm's 20-hectare goji berry farm in Fukang city, Xinjiang.
"We seldom use fertilizer and pesticide, so our fruits are vulnerable to the birds," Dong said.
Dong decided to participate in the 18th CIFIT after being recommended by the local government.
"We aim to produce pollution-free farm products, but it needs great investment. We want to get some at the CIFIT," he said.
The company, which was established in 2012, produces fresh and dried goji berries in a pollution-free way.
It has a 133-hectare base and one-fourth of the land will be planted with goji berries by the end of this year, making it the biggest in the region.
gaobo@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 09/08/2014 page6)
