Guangzhou held a promotional event in Norway's capital city Oslo on June 27, wooing local enterprises to take part in the 122nd China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as Canton Fair, which will be held from Oct 15 to Nov 4.

The event was attended by leaders of the Chinese embassy in Norway, Innovation Norway, and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise as well as local business representatives.

Vice-President of the China Foreign Trade Centre, Ma Chunzhi told the guests that the Canton Fair is a comprehensive international trading event with the most complete exhibit variety and the greatest business turnover in China.

"It will present an effective and convenient platform for both countries to cooperate," Ma said.

The Canton Fair is striving to integrate global designs with Chinese manufacturing industry, and has attracted more than 100 design organizations from 20 countries and regions so far.

A foreign purchaser selects porcelain vases at the 121st China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, on April 27. [Photo by Lu Hanxin/Xinhua]

"Northern European countries are famed for originality and unique design styles," Ma said. "Norwegian enterprises have broad prospects for cooperation with Chinese peers in this aspect."

Counsellor Zhou Dalin of the Commercial Section at the Chinese embassy in Norway, said, "Sino-Norway trade has great growth potential. The 60-year-history fair will offer a good platform for Norwegian enterprises to carry out business with those from China and other countries."

Canton Fair, launched in 1957, is a biannual event held every spring and autumn in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. The last spring fair concluded on May 5 with total transactions increasing by 6.9 percent year-on-year to 206.36 billion yuan ($30 billion).