Harbin fair to lure European trade

China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair is set to highlight the practical Sino-Russia cooperation on economic, trade, and technology.

"Foreign exhibitors this year are taking booths of an amount doubled that of last year," said Sun Yao, vice-governor of Heilongjiang province, at a news conference on Mar 22 in Beijing.

In light of Russia's accession into the World Trade Organization, the fair will facilitate more than 100 enterprises from 15 European countries to negotiate with Chinese counterparts.

Harbin city, capital of Heilongjian province, will start the 23rd China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair on June 15 this year, and the fair will end on June 19.

Harbin has been holding the fair each year since 1990. At the past 22 fairs, more than $100 billion deals were sealed. Past fairs have seen more than 1.8 million exhibitors and visitors from more than 80 countries and regions.

"This year's fair will allow the exhibited goods to be offered tax-free for purchase at the end," said Sun.

Tourism year

The Russian counterpart of the fair will hold a ceremony for its coming China Tourism Year on Friday in Beijing.

The year of 2013 will be Russia's "China Tourism year", and China's tourism sector themed this year as "Russia Tourism Year", according to the two countries' agreement.

As of the end of 2011, China is now the top tour destination for Russian people.

"The amount of Russian tourists visiting China is three times that of Chinese tourist visiting Russia," said Sun.

"I hope more Chinese people will travel to Russia to see the origin of ballet...and the origin of many well-known literatures," said Sun.