The Tenth Investment and Trade Fair for Cooperation Between East and West China opened on Thursday in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The fair has attracted a large number of companies from 31 provinces, regions and municipalities nationwide and more than 3,000 foreign businesses from over 40 foreign countries and regions, according to the fair's organizing committee.

It said more than 7,800 projects will be open to investment discussions during the five-day fair.

The fair is divided into two zones. One caters to trade and investment talks and the other for the display of commodities in over 2,000 business booths.

A conference on accelerating western development and coordinating regional growth, and the Fifth West China Foreign Investment Fair will also be staged.

The fair was launched in 1997 with the aim of expanding the scope of cooperation between East and West China for harmonious development. More than 1,163 foreign investment contracts involving 13 billion U.S. dollars have been signed during the previous nine fairs.

Source: Xinhua