On July 26, local government officials marked the establishment of the Xiamen Bureau of Convention and Exhibition Affairs.

The city government of Xiamen in Fujian province has tasked the department with expanding the city's global influence as a well-known international conference and exhibition city, officials said.

Zhang Canmin, deputy mayor of Xiamen, and Cao Hongying, deputy director of the foreign investment department under the Ministry of Commerce attended the opening ceremony, and both made speeches, noting that it constituted a new chapter in Xiamen's convention and exhibition industry.

The bureau will function as an arm of the city government and the standing body of the China International Fair for Investment and Trade, the Straits Forum and the China Xiamen Machinery and Electronics Exhibition - three leading exhibition events held annually in the coastal city.

During the opening ceremony, Zhang said: "The foundation of the bureau fully demonstrates that the Xiamen city government has paid great attention to the development of the nation's top exhibitions held in the coastal city - the CIFIT, the Straits Forum and the CXMEE."

He also put forward three expectations for the bureau in his speech. The first is to employ an innovative outlook and global vision when preparing for the CIFIT, Straits Forum and CXMEE each year to actively import influential international brand exhibitions.

Second, the leadership of the bureau should consistently enhance overall planning. Third, the bureau should strengthen Xiamen's exhibition industry by creating enthusiasm among employees and improving leadership.

Cao stressed that the formation of the bureau sufficiently showed Xiamen's determination to expand the influence of the CIFIT, the Straits Forum and other exhibitions as well as accelerate the development of Xiamen's exhibition industry.

"Moreover, the bureau will be conducive to optimizing the environment of Xiamen's exhibition industry," Cao said, indicating that the Ministry of Commerce will continue to support the CIFIT and the Straits Forum as usual.

He said he expects the leadership will work hard to promote and demonstrate the branding strengths of the international investment exhibitions staged in the city.

At the ceremony, Wang Qiongwen, director of the new bureau, said that its establishment is a historic moment to Xiamen exhibition industry.

"As a new start, we will expand the boom in Xiamen's exhibition economy to reach a new height by continuously strengthening leadership through shaping and attracting industry professionals to the team," he said.

For the 16th CIFIT, the first challenge of the new bureau lies in the full preparations for details and implementation. To make greater achievements, the bureau will pay more attention to enriching exhibition content, improving conference services and enlarging brand influence.

leiqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(HK Edition 09/08/2012 page6)