Muslim entrepreneurs to attend forum in NW China

An international forum for Muslim entrepreneurs will be held next Tuesday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

More than 500 Muslim entrepreneurs and experts from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia and Islamic countries will attend the three-day forum, said Yang Youxian, deputy mayor of the city.

Topics regarding Muslim culture, the halal industry, tourism exchanges and economic cooperation will be discussed at the forum, said Yang.

The forum is part of the third China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which is scheduled to be held from Sept. 12 to 16 in Yinchuan.

Boosted by the forum, trade between the city and Arabic countries surged 30 percent year on year to reach 120 million U.S. dollars in 2011, statistics show.

This year's forum will feature United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Trade Minister Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al-Qassimi as guest of honor. The minister will be accompanied by a 60-member group, as well as the country's national women's soccer team.

Ningxia is home to the Hui, the country's largest Muslim ethnic group.