The 2nd Global Programmers' Festival kicks off in Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone, Shaanxi province on Oct 24. [Photo/xiancn.com]

The signing ceremony for 51 investment projects was held yesterday as a key event of the ongoing Global Programmers' Festival in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Shangguan Jiqing, mayor of Xi'an, accompanied other government officials and enterprise representatives to witness the milestone in the city's opening-up and investment promotion.

The newly signed projects totaled a contract value of up to 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion), with the focus firmly fixed on the most promising sectors, including artificial intelligence, big data, financial technology, smart manufacturing and cloud services.

Tencent and DHC Software partnered with Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Area; the People's Government of Xi'an teamed up with the State Information Center and Chinasoft International Co; and We Doctor agreed to build an internet hospital in Xi'an's Baqiao district.

Lenovo, Yintai Securities Co, Zall Group and Zendai Group will also all expand their business in Xi'an.

As a co-organizer of the 2nd Global Programmers' Festival, Xi'an Hi-Tech Industries Development Zone is taking this as a golden opportunity to stimulate digital economy and "code" a bright future where it meets its goal of constructing the most developed hi-tech zone and outdoor capital in Xi'an.

The festival began on Oct 24 and will run until Oct 25.