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Singapore to hold large exhibition in Fujian
By Hu Meidong and Song Jing (China Daily Fujian Bureau)
Updated: 2009-04-10 18:23

According to the Information Office of Fujian Provincial People's Goverment, the Singaporean Brands Exhibition will be held in Fuzhou as a part of the 6th Fujian Commodities Fair from May 18th-22nd.

It is the first time Fujian will allocate an exhibition hall of 5,000 sq meters to a country for special use. It also marks Singapore's participation for the first time in such a large-scale exhibition overseas.

The Singaporean Brands Exhibition, co-hosted by the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation and the Consulate-General of Singapore in Xiamen, signifies a breakthrough for the Fujian Commodities Fair.

According to the Consul General of Singapore in Xiamen, 100 Singaporean companies and Singapore-funded companies in the food, machinery, electronic, chemical, education,, finance, medicine, architecture, consulting and other industries will attend the exhibition.

Singapore is currently the eighth largest trade partner and the third largest investor in China; China is the third largest trade partner. In 2008, trade volume between the two countries amounted to 91.041 billion dollars and Singapore's direct investment in China amounted to 4.43 billion dollars.

Singapore is quite similar to Fujian in geography, heritage, culture, management concept and religion. Chinese make up 76% of the Singaporean population, and 60% of Chinese originally come from Fujian, especially Minnan, the southern part of Fujian.

Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMa), founded in 1932, consists of 2,600 members from multinational enterprises and medium and small-sized enterprises. The busy federation has organized international exhibitions in 35 countries and regions including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.