The city of Wenzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province will host an international light industry products fair on October 12, its Mayor Liu Qi announced yesterday.

Liu told a press conference that the fair will help introduce the world to China's light industry and make the nation's products better known in the global marketplace.

The fair will consist of three parts - an exhibition of light industry products, a furniture show and a display of printing techniques and gifts. Several seminars will also be held.

Liu told China Daily that a number of multinational retailers are also expected to take part.

"Holding the fair will help turn Wenzhou into a global light industry manufacturing centre within the next 10 years," Liu said.

Wenzhou held its first light industry fair last year, clinching trade deals of 3.4 billion yuan (US$411 million) and signing project contracts worth 140 million yuan (US$17 million).

According to the city's Foreign Economy and Trade Commission, the city is working out a plan to restructure its light industry, that requires small and scattered production areas be merged into large-scale parks.

"City government will provide land and services, but the funds will come from private investors," said a commission official.

Wenzhou, known as China's light industry manufacturing centre, produced more than 100 billion yuan (US$12 billion) worth of products last year, accounting for 45 per cent of its total industrial output value.

For instance, it produced 550 million lighters last year, taking a 80 per cent stake of the world market.

"We want to use more foreign capital and technology to enlarge and upgrade the manufacturing centre," the official said.

(China Daily July 29, 2003)