Photoed by Liu Yang

The 2012 China-Shijiazhuang (Zhengding) International Small Commodity Expo opened on April 26 at International Small Commodity Fair Square, in the city of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province.

The event is sponsored by the provincial People’s Government and the China General Chamber of Commerce and demonstrates a clear rise in its international status, with. 317 overseas enterprises expected to attend, from various countries, such as the United States, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan, and 438 booths

The number of Taiwanese companies has hit a new high -- 212, with 284 booths -- owing to the increase in cross-Strait economic exchanges and trade, as well as for last year’s successful expo.

This year’s expo has six areas in, with 1,200 international-standard booths in all, on a 20,000-square-meter space. It will have 1,000 exhibitors from China and abroad, as well as 6,000 purchasing agents. There will be visitors from all over the US, Russia, Canada, Italy, Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen and provinces such as Zhejiang, Fujian, and Sichuan.

By Liu Xiang from Chinadaily