An online investment conference between Shanxi province and African countries takes place in Taiyuan city, on June 16. [Photo/sxrb.com]

An online promotion conference to further opening up and increase investment cooperation between Shanxi province and African countries was held in provincial capital Taiyuan city on June 16. 

Co-sponsored by the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Shanxi Provincial Geological Prospecting Bureau, the conference was the first activity in this year's Shanxi Brands Silk Road Tour, an annual series of events promoting the province's brands.

The online promotion aimed to strengthen communication and partnerships between Shanxi and African countries involving construction of industrial parks, production capacity, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure construction, as well as to guide Shanxi enterprises to expand into international markets, said Chen Hecai, chairman of the CCPIT Shanxi Provincial Committee.

Officials said it was the first time that the Shanxi Brands Silk Road Tour promotion series had used an online conference, which was in response to the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and won widespread attention in Shanxi and in African countries. 

More than 200 foreign-related companies in Shanxi province and over 330 people participated in the online promotion in Taiyuan, with branch venues set up in Datong, Yangquan and Yuncheng cities in Shanxi and Kenya in East Africa.

Political leaders from Kenya and Madagascar gave talks on their investment environment and welcomed investors and companies from Shanxi. Officials of the Shanxi Provincial Geological Prospecting Bureau and representatives of Shanxi companies already doing business in Africa promoted 13 projects involving mining development, construction of port industrial parks, agriculture and animal husbandry processing in Madagascar, Ghana and Kenya.

Launched by the Shanxi Provincial Government under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Shanxi Brands Silk Road Tour focuses on promoting international trade and cooperation in products, advanced production capacity and mature technology sectors. It has held some 100 trade and investment promotions and foreign exchange events in 26 countries over past five years.