Hefei fair to boost growth of central provinces

China's central provinces are expected to attract more foreign investment at the 10th Central China Investment and Trade Exposition, which will be held in Hefei, Anhui province, and aims to strengthen new drivers for regional economic development, officials said on Tuesday.

In the first quarter of the year, foreign investment flowing to the region - mainly Hunan, Henan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces - increased by 1 percent year-on-year, Wang Shouwen, vice-minister of commerce, said at a news conference in Beijing.

"The growth rate equals the national average," Wang said.