The ambitions of the province were heard at the four-day Henan Economic and Trade Fair which was launched on Thursday in the capital city Zhengzhou. The event was organized by the Henan provincial government and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

More than 210 key projects were displayed to more than 2,000 foreign and domestic investors at Thursday's fair, covering agriculture, medicine, transportation, bio-engineering, electronics and new materials.

The governor of Henan Province Li Keqiang said Henan has its own advantages for development compared to coastal cities. The province has a deep reserve of historical civilization, rich farming and mineral products, and human resources.

It also has a good regional position which bridges east and west, he said.

As a large agricultural province which is rich in rice, cotton and tobacco, Henan promised to further open its agricultural industry and encouraged foreign investment in areas such as vegetables, flowers, fruits and livestock products.

Henan is a large economic province in China. In 2001, its domestic gross product (GDP) reached 564.5 billion yuan (US$68.2 billion), capping other provinces in central and western China.

By the end of 2001, Henan had approved 6,937 overseas-funded firms involving US$8.8 billion in overseas investment.

(China Daily April 15, 2002)