Fujian province stepped up talks with foreign governments and companies at the 26th China International Investment and Trade Fair (CIFIT), seeking to expand investment ties and advance cooperation projects.

Zhou Zuyi, secretary of the Communist Party of China Fujian Provincial Committee, met Alexander Poulev, Bulgaria's deputy prime minister and minister of Economy, Investments, and Industry, and Sun Chanthol, Cambodian deputy prime minister and first vice-chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia from Sept 7 to 8 in Xiamen.

Zhou said CIFIT has become a national-level fair focused on investment, and that Fujian welcomed companies from around the world to expand cooperation in more areas and more deeply. Poulev and Sun said they would seek more two-way investment and closer ties with Fujian in trade, education, tourism and culture.

Trade between Fujian and Thailand reached 29.4 billion yuan ($4.38 billion) in the first seven months of this year, as the two sides seek to expand investment ties. At the China (Fujian)-Thailand Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Conference on Sept 8, they discussed investment policies, industrial parks, business conditions, cross-border finance, and investment by Chinese companies in Thailand.

Fujian signed three projects with Finnish partners during the fair, including the 1.2-million-metric-ton black pellet and sustainable aviation fuel integrated energy project at Kemen Port. Two other deals cover pulp supply chains between Metsa Group and Fujian companies Hengan Group and Liansheng Textile.