Katia Deng/ Shanghai Daily news

The third China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO), which opened yesterday evening at Shanghai International Convention Center, was expected to have more than 600 industry representatives from 17 countries and regions.

The forum, with the target of opening-up and cooperation, was organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events.

The two-day forum includes two sectors: Three plenary sessions and four branch forums with themed activities make up one part, while the other contains the relevant lectures and open discussions of the 8th China International Show for Exhibitions and Conferences.

Wang Jinzhen, vice chairman of the CCPIT hosted the opening ceremony. Wan Jifei, chairman of the CCPIT and Shanghai Vice Mayor Zhou Yupeng respectively addressed the forum yesterday.

"China's exhibition industry will be fully involved in international events, so the industry policies and national criteria should adapt to China's current situation to make it globalized and market-oriented," Wan said.

Shanghai, one of the country's top exhibition destinations, has attached special importance to its trade show sector, partly driven by the World Expo in 2010, said Shanghai Vice Mayor Zhou Yupeng yesterday. He also revealed that Shanghai has promised to make overall developments as the World Expo 2010 preparations are underway. As well, the exhibition industry will be more open to the world on the basis of its own exhibition brands and optimized environment.