Aiming to become a logistics hub in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region and to strengthen international co-operation, Foshan will hold the annual international logistics symposium next month.

Last year, the event helped Foshan, which is less than one hour's drive from Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong Province, attract 85 projects worth more than 20 billion yuan ($2.5 billion).

Since its inauguration three years ago, the event has introduced such big international and domestic names as Prologis, BAX Global, Hutchison Whampoa, Hisen-Shih Industrial Company from Taiwan, APL, Wal-Mart and Sinotrans, to invest in Foshan.

"So far, up to 90 percent of projects signed at the past three sessions have been progressing smoothly. And we are expecting more international and domestic logistics projects to be signed at this year's session," said Zhou Wen, an official with the Foshan municipal government.

According to Zhou, the fourth session this year, which will be held on June 28 at the Foshan Hotel, will invite leading logistics officials from the central government and representatives from overseas enterprises and governmental institutions to discuss how Foshan should further its efforts to develop its leading position in terms of logistics development in the PRD area.

Besides the symposium, a job fair for logistics professionals will also be held, where a large number of leading domestic and international logistics enterprises will be present.

In addition, a training program, which is called "China-European Union Logistics Information Training," will be held.

A number of domestic logistics experts and their counterparts from EU will give lectures to representatives from up to 50 Foshan-based logistics enterprises.

"The program is designed to provide more information about international logistics rules for local enterprises, helping them to enhance their capabilities in the global market and increase co-operation with international counterparts," Zhou said in an interview with China Daily last week.

Priorities will be given to introduction of some leading international third-party logistics companies at the upcoming event, Zhou said.

Foshan, which is located close to Hong Kong and Macao, has great potential to enhance logistics development since it has already set up a series of logistics bases, according to Zhou.

The city, one of the major industrial bases in the PRD region, will also start building an inner railway linking Guangzhou the next month. The project will be completed by 2010 and once completed, Guangzhou can be reached just within 40 minutes.
 
Editor: Yan