The 13th Central China Investment and Trade Exposition will be hosted from May 31 to June 2 in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, aiming to build China’s central region as a platform for opening-up to the global market, said a senior commerce official on Tuesday.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Ling Ji, vice-minister of commerce and deputy China international trade representative, said this edition of the expo will host more than 20 events, including exhibitions, project matchmaking and investment promotional activities, featuring specialized sessions aimed at attracting investments in advanced manufacturing sectors such as modern petrochemicals, new materials and new energy vehicles.

Nearly 60 foreign institutions, chambers of commerce and business associations from various countries and regions, along with almost a hundred multinational corporations, have registered to attend the event to date. It is expected that nearly 800 companies will participate in the exhibition, according to information released by the Ministry of Commerce.