With the theme of "introducing overseas investment and going global," the Seventh China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) opens today in this coastal city of East China's Fujian Province.

"This year's fair, as the first large-scale national investment promotion event after the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak, is expected to attract more overseas investment, minimize losses caused by the epidemic, and lay a solid foundation for next year's utilization of foreign investment," said Wen Zaixing, deputy director of the general office of the Ministry of Commerce.

To improve its effectiveness, the organizing committee has selected some 390 key projects for one-to-one negotiations among overseas investors at the fair, Wen said.

According to estimates, 240 overseas business groups and organizations from 58 countries and regions will attend the fair, seeking business opportunities while introducing investment programmes.

A series of forums will be a highlight at this year's CIFIT. A key event, the International Investment Forum, to be held today, focuses on "perfecting the investment environment and creating international competitive advantages."

Other forums will focus on such fields as investing in Caribbean regions and overcoming trade and investment barriers.

It is expected that overseas visitors to the event will exceed 10,000 this year, Wen said.

So far, a total of 9,050 such visitors from 94 countries and regions have registered.

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