Fujian Vice-Governor Ni Yuefeng has promised a high-level trade event with better services for this year's China International Fair for Investment and Trade.

The 16th CIFIT will run from Sept 8 to 11 in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province.

Ni, also deputy director of the CIFIT organizing committee, said at a news conference on July 10 in Beijing that this year's CIFIT will focus on promoting investment as always. It will continue to be centered on its traditional themes of bringing in overseas investments and helping enterprises go abroad.

Ni noted that the event has four new features:

First, it is more international.

Organizations from about 40 countries and regions, including Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan, will set up exhibitions at the event.

This year's CIFIT will receive representatives from all BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.

In addition, nations including Germany and Russia as well as the regions of Hong Kong, Macao and Japan's Okinawa will hold a "National (Regional) Pavilion Day", and Hong Kong and the German city of Hamburg will hold some investment promotion activities as well.

The fair's organizing committee has also invited many overseas politicians, leaders of international organizations, senior management of multinationals, scholars and entrepreneurs.

The second feature of this year's fair is that it will function better.

It has 30 forums, seminars and news conferences. The Ministry of Commerce is to hold its 2012 International Investment Forum, an overseas investors' seminar and the seventh Cross-Straits Economic and Trade Cooperation and Development Forum.

The organizing committee will provide a series of themed forums regarding industries such as finance and real estate.

Starting this year, the International Investment Forum will be jointly held by the Ministry of Commerce and China Central Television. The high-profile forum will include State leaders, foreign politicians, world-famous economists, investors and entrepreneurs. It will include discussions on topics such as creating new momentum for global growth as well as high-profile dialogues among BRICS nations.

The third feature of this year's fair is greater efficiency.

The fair will help ensure investment projects match the needs of both investors and project operators. More than 20 matchmaking activities in key fields such as service trade, new energy, investment funds and intellectual properties will be arranged.

The organizing committee has invited many State-owned and private enterprises that have the ability to "go abroad".

The fourth feature is updated service facilities.

The fair covers a 100,000-square-meter area and provides nearly 4,000 exhibition booths. The organizing committee has also greatly improved its visa services for participants, clearance of goods as well as security and food sanitation during the event.

chenxin1@chinadaily.com.cn

(HK Edition 09/08/2012 page7)