Special Supplement: Three stages of development

From 1990 to 1991, the fair, sponsored by then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, was targeted at the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, basically under a barter system

During this period, the event was called China Economic and Trade Fair with Soviet Union and East European countries.

From 1992 to 1995, the fair was jointly sponsored by the governments of Heilongjiang Province and Harbin Municipality and overseen by then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

During the period, the event was given a new name - China Harbin Border and Local Economic and Trade Fair.

In 1992 and 1993, the fair was still mainly open to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern European countries, yet trading was carried out under a combined system of barter and convertible foreign exchange.

The year 1994 witnessed a turning point in the Harbin Fair's history.

Beginning that year, businesspeople from Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries began to take an active part in the fair.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and developed eastern and southern regions of China also began to send their business delegations to the event.

In 1996, the event was renamed the China Harbin International Fair for Trade and Economic Cooperation.

As the new name indicates, the fair has grown into a key platform for traders and investors around the world.

(China Daily 09/05/2007 page12)