Shenzhen wants to use its annual China Hi-Tech Fair to foster better relations with the science and technology sectors of different countries.

They were the remarks by Li Decheng, Shenzhen's vice mayor, who Sunday (October 12th) met high-level science and technology representatives from Britain, Russia, Egypt and the United States.

Li said high-tech industry was playing an increasingly important role in pushing Shenzhen's industrial output value to a higher level.

"The sales volume of high-tech products is expected to reach US$20 billion this year," he said.

Lord Sainsbury, the British minister for science and innovation, said Britain had 27 companies with more than 200 people at the fair.

He asked for closer collaboration with Shenzhen in terms of having more corporate presence from Shenzhen in Britain.

He hailed Shenzhen's intended representative office in London as new starting point of Britain-Shenzhen cooperation.

Fawzi A. Elrefaie, president of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology of Egypt, said since Egyptian President Mubarak visited Shenzhen last year (2002), four joint ventures between Egypt and Shenzhen had been established.

He stressed that Egypt and China were developing countries and that Egypt highly valued the South-South Cooperation.

John H. Gibbons, science advisor to former U.S. President Clinton, extended his congratulations to Shenzhen on its progress in high technology.

He said the fair represented China's high-tech development direction.

Andrey S. Koulaign, deputy minister of industry and technology of Russia, and the British Ambassador to China Christopher Hum were also at the meeting.

Editor: Catherine