East China's Anhui province will greet a large number of participants from countries and regions across the world when the four-day 2021 World Manufacturing Convention opens on Friday in Hefei, the provincial capital.

The event aims to focus on innovation, digital and high-quality development among the global manufacturing community, and will cover 27,000 square meters of exhibition space.

A total of 23 sessions, divided into four categories including keynote forums, 600 project matchmaking activities and 10 parallel forums, will offer a panorama of global manufacturing know-how and cutting-edge technologies to attendees.

The 2021 WMC is co-sponsored by Anhui provincial government, and some central government agencies as well as global industrial associations.

Over the past three sessions of the annual WMC, a total of 1,752 projects have been signed in Anhui with a total investment of 1.8 trillion yuan ($281.5 billion), boosting the province's manufacturing prowess.

The convention, the fourth of its kind held in Anhui, aims to promote the province's advanced manufacturing nationally while joining hands with small and medium-sized enterprises from around the world.

According to the Anhui Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology, after years of development, Anhui has a modern industrial system, covering 40 major sectors, of which manufacturing spans 31.

Anhui Governor Wang Qingxian said the province will build more strategic emerging industries in a bid to better the high-quality development of its manufacturing.

The opportunities presented by strategic emerging industries are attracting players from around the globe to grasp and explore their potential in securing future economic growth, to this end, a new round of scientific, technological and industrial transformation is taking place.

Anhui province has decided to mainly target 10 emerging industries, such as new-generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, and new materials, so as to cultivate momentum for high-quality development and create a gathering place for emerging industries.

In targeting these emerging industries, the province will invite outside investment and cultivate more talents, according to the Anhui Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology.

Using the WMC platform, Anhui has promoted project cooperation with central government-supervised State-owned enterprises, private enterprises and foreign enterprises, as well as enterprises from China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese enterprises.

In addition to government officials, business leaders from the world's top 500 enterprises are expected to participate.

The province's 16 major cities will also organize their own exhibitions each to showcase their respective manufacturing prowess and cooperation projects.