The 10th Western China International Fair (the 10th WCIF), was co-sponsored by 11 ministries and commissions of the central government, such as National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, State Administration for Industry and Commerce, General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce and All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, and 12 western provinces, autonomous regions and municipality such as Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi and Chongqing, co-organized by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and hosted by the People's Government of Sichuan Province and held in Chengdu, Sichuan between October 16 and 20, 2009.
The event, boasting of high level, large scale, many highlights and great effects, had an extensive influence. Wen Jiabao, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony and delivered an important speech at the 2nd western international forum. He said, "The determination the Chinese government for implementing the Western Development Strategy will never be swayed, so will the policy and the strength to be devoted, because the opening-up of the western part of China will determine the width and depth of China's opening-up." Chiefs from Viet Nam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, East Timor, Kenya and Cote d'Ivoire, 70 ministers, diplomats stationed in China from 27 countries and guests from 88 countries and regions across the world took part in the event. Totally 157 persons in charge of international business chambers and associations and 580 famous domestic and foreign entrepreneurs participated in major activities. More than 60,000 businessmen took part in the great event.
This WCIF covered a total exhibition area of 150,000 square meters, increasing by 30,000 square meters that that of the last fair. There were 10,833 international standard booths for exhibitors from 55 countries and regions. It was for the first time that China's 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps all sent delegations to attend the fair. There were 4,938 exhibitors, increasing by 2,638 ones than that of the last fair (2300), an increase of 114.74%. This WCIF saw remarkable achievements in trade and investment. The volume of trade transactions and investment attracted totally reached 235.8 billion yuan. The volume of on-site trade transactions and the volume of contracted trade totally reached 144.66 billion yuan, 57.667 billion yuan more than that at the last fair; out of it, the volume of on-site trade transactions reached 21.93 billion yuan, while the volume of contracted trade reached 122.73 billion yuan. There were 1,317 purchasers and 6206 suppliers, who attended the Western China Sourcing Fair, including a great number of domestic and international big groups and companies, such as GE, Wal-Mart, B&Q, Carrefour and Mitsubishi Corp, as well as some governmental purchasing units, such as the UN Procurement Centre. During the fair, 12 western provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps signed contracts for 1,339 investment projects, attracting a total investment of 591.14 billion yuan. There are a great variety of events at this fair. Out of 68 events held during the fair, there were 18 major events, 50 special economic and trade events and 40 ceremonial activities. At the fair, the 2009 Pan-Asian Economic Cooperation Initiative was adopted to put forward that the Pan-Asian region should tighten the cooperation in four major fields, including infrastructure, investment and financial and trade, social development, multilevel communication and exchange. The Initiative also proposed that the Pan-Asian region should join the efforts to cope with serious impact from the financial crisis to overcome the difficulties and gain mutual benefits. Through ten years' efforts, the WCIF has become an important platform for trade cooperation, a platform for investment promoting and a platform for summit diplomacy of China in the western region. This WCIF served as a general exhibition booth showing the achievements of the ten years' Western Development and also a new start for the Western Development to go into a deeper stage. It promoted and accelerated the Western Development.
