The 2002 China Fuzhou International Investment Promotion Month and the Fourth Fair of Scientific and Technological Achievements across Taiwan Straits opened Saturday in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province.

Approximately 10,000 people, including businesspeople from 40 foreign countries and officials from the embassies and consulates of nine countries attended the opening ceremony.

At least 70 activities, including the fourth Chinese mayors' forum, the second Thailand-made commodity fair, and a golf invitational tournament will be held, according to local sources.

Moreover, these sources said Fuzhou City has prepared a list of 323 projects which will require US$1.74 billion of investment from overseas.

Fuzhou, which faces Taiwan across the Taiwan Straits, had approved over 6,700 overseas financed businesses by late 2001, of which, 3,212 have gone into production or have started business. It has so far had an inflow of US$8.8 billion dollars in overseas investment.

(People's Daily May 19, 2002)