The Ninth Investment and Trade Fair for Cooperation Between East and West China will be staged from April 6 to 10 in Xi'an, capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said an official with the provincial government Friday.

Li Xuemei, director of the trade fair organizing office, said the fair has lured at least 300 projects, with total investment of 40 billion yuan (about 4.82 billion US dollars).

The event aims to expand the scope of cooperation between east and west China for harmonious development.

The fair is divided into two zones. One caters to trade talks, with 700 booths and the other for display of commodities at 1,300 business booths.

The fair, launched in 1997, has become an important national economic and trade event and an important platform for exchanges and cooperation between China's east and west. It has played an active role in promoting the opening-up of the country's western regions.