Canton Fair to become driver for Ukraine-China economic cooperation, says official

KIEV, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Canton Fair in China's Guangdong Province will become a driver for bilateral economic cooperation between Ukraine and China, said a Ukrainian official here Wednesday.

"This is an extremely important event that gives Ukrainian companies the opportunity to show their ability to sell goods and services, as well as to see the latest global trends in the trade sector," said Yaroslav Sydorovych, chief of the Head Department for Introduction of Reforms at Ukraine's presidential administration, when addressing the promotion conference for the 125th Canton Fair.

The 125th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province between April 15 and May 5, which is expected to draw more than 25,000 exhibitors and about 200,000 buyers from some 200 countries and regions.

Ukraine wants to show its potential in such areas as agriculture, information technologies, industrialization, infrastructure and tourism at the fair, Sydorovych emphasized.

The fair would be an important tool to further boost trade and business ties between China and Ukraine, said Gennady Chizhikov, president of the non-governmental Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"China for the Ukrainian business is very significant," Chizhikov noted, adding that Ukraine is "looking with an interest for opportunities to build connections for cooperation with this country."

During the promotion conference, China Foreign Trade Center, the organizer of the fair, signed a memorandum on cooperation with Chinese Commerce Association in Ukraine and renewed a memorandum on cooperation with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The conference attracted more than 200 guests including Ukrainian officials and businessmen, representatives of China Foreign Trade Center, the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chinese Commerce Association in Ukraine.

Launched in 1957 by the Chinese government, the Canton Fair is held biannually every spring and autumn. The exhibition is widely seen as a barometer of China's trade.