The 18th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), being held in the city of Xiamen this week, is expected to draw 932 groups from 110 countries and regions, the event's organizer said.

The press conference of the 18th CIFIT [Photo by Wu Xiaoping for China Daily]

By Saturday, 665 overseas groups, 267 domestic groups and nine international ones had applied to attend the four-day event that opened on Monday in the southeastern coastal city of Xiamen.

The event will set up “New Silk Road” exhibitions to bring attendants investment opportunities, important projects and products from countries along the “New Silk Road”. The New Silk Road is the name of China's recent strategy to seek mutual economic benefit together with its neighbors in the West to help the provinces in the inland west.

Also it is the 30th anniversary of the first China National Economic and Technical Development Zones. The Ministry of Commerce and CCTV will co-host the 2014 International Investment Forum to introduce the development of international economic zones.

The event will serve as platforms for policy information publication, bilateral investment promotion and investment trend discussion.

CIFIT, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, has been held annually in Xiamen since 1997.

By Lai Yanxiang from China Daily Fujian Bureau