The fifth West China International Fair will take place in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, from May 25 to 28.

Organizers say they will invite 2,000 government officials, representatives from economic organizations and businesses from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asia, Europe, America, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to attend.

Eight halls with 40,000 square meters of floor space will be prepared for exhibitions, while trade talks, forums and symposiumswill be also held, said the organizers.

The fair will promote economic cooperation between west China and ASEAN nations. It will help Sichuan attract investors to west China by acting as a geographical link between economically developed east China and backward west China, said a local government official.

He said 220 business deals were struck at the fourth fair, which was delayed until September because of the SARS outbreak in parts of China earlier last year, with contracts worth 25.17 billion yuan (US$3.03 billion).

The fair is an annual event jointly sponsored by the Sichuan Provincial government, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

The first fair was held in 2000.

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