The promotional symposium of the 18th China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) was held in Beijing on April 23. The organizing committee invited officials from over 30 countries including the United States, Russia and Malaysia, and more than 250 guests from foreign business associations and multinationals to the conference.

The 18th CIFIT will be held from Sept 8 to 11 and is the only global event in China which aims to garner international investment and new projects.

This year’s CIFIT will focus on the Belt and Road Initiative. Since president Xi Jinping rolled out the strategy of constructing the “Silk Road Economic Belt” and “21st Century Maritime Silk Road” (the Belt and Road initiative) last year, it has received global attention.

On March 28, a file entitled "Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st century Maritime Silk Road" was jointly released by the ministry of Foreign Affairs and Commerce of China. To seize the opportunity, CIFIT will play an active role in building an effective platform for the countries and regions along the route.

This year’s CIFIT will feature a special exhibition hall to display products and projects from countries along the route. A series of symposiums and seminars themed around “the Belt and Road initiative” will be held to discuss investment models. A high-end activity for business exchanges is expected to promote networking opportunities at the event.

As with previous years, the International Investment Forum will remain the highlight of the fair. The forum will focus on the world’s new economic trends and investment hot spots such as the internet, the Belt and Road initiative and the free trade zone. China Central Television (CCTV) will be invited to broadcast the whole procedure. The top management teams of multinationals and famed economists will be present to deliver speeches and a number of important reports will be released during the forum.

Ten industries, such as modern agriculture, infrastructure, finance, are expected to hold matchmaking meetings for the guests. With support from the online CIFIT, investors can continue their negotiations after the meetings.

Sun Zhenyu, the head of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, and Wang Naixiang, CEO of Beijing Financial Assets Exchange, attended the symposium and gave speeches.

By Peng Juan from China Daily Fujian Bureau