Expo to highlight cooperation along Silk Road economic belt

URUMQI - The Fourth China-Eurasia Expo scheduled to open on Monday aims to be a bridge to facilitate the economic and technical cooperation among the countries along the ancient silk road, said an official.

Chi Wenjie, deputy secretary-general of the Secretariat of the annual expo, said on Saturday that 10 significant forums and exchange activities will be held during the six-day event with a theme of building the Silk Road economic belt through opening-up and cooperation.

The forums include the China-Eurasia Economic Development and Cooperation forum, Eurasia News Media Forum, Central Asia Technological Innovation and Cooperation Forum and the summit on the application of the Beidou navigation satellite system.

Initiated by President Xi Jinping, the Silk Road economic belt revival project could involve over 40 Asian and European countries and regions with a combined population of 3 billion.

China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi to boost ties

Chi said that 48 countries and regions from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania and Africa have confirmed their attendance to the expo.

Covering a floor area of 89,000 square meters, the expo comprises four exhibition areas to highlight overseas delegates, international cooperation, new high-tech and services trade and merchandise trade.

Chi said that international organizations will also hold a number of events during the expo, including the roundtable forum of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the Mayors' Forum along the Silk Road.

Forty-four overseas high-ranking officials from United Nations Development Program, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and other countries will participate in these forums, Chi said.

Delegates from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China are also expected to explore the cooperation on the fruit industry.

More than 110 ethnic textile and attire companies of Xinjiang will display their products at the expo to facilitate textile cooperation with foreign enterprises, Chi said.