Dai Kexiang, general manager of Beijing International Exhibition Co, said showing vehicles allows the fair to display a comprehensive range of consumer products.

The event, sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and organized by the exhibition firm, opened for the seventh time yesterday.

The biennial event is one of China's main international exhibitions. Event statistics indicate about US$3.2 billion in trade resulted from the first six shows.

"Based on our own market research and government estimates, we think China's consumer products market has large potential and so decided to turn this particular show into China's first fair concentrating on such goods," said Dai, who is also vice-chairman of the trade promotion council.

Official statistics indicate China's consumer sales increased by 11.4 percent year-on-year last year.

About 680 companies from home and abroad are taking part in the four-day fair, which is at the China International Exhibition Centre.

Dai said cars are being displayed at the fair this year because autos are becoming popular with urban residents and young people.

He said about 20 percent urban Chinese families - 26 million - can afford to buy a car.

The fair has 10 exhibition areas for overseas businesses, household electronic appliances, gifts, cars, kitchen utensils, gymnastic products, shoes, building materials and one for science, technology and patents.

Dai said 120,000 invitations had been sent to department stores across China, overseas-invested companies, consumer product manufacturers and trade companies.

(China Daily 04/04/2001)