Guangdong has a chance to build itself into a "province of culture" with the help of the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF).

Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua made the remark at the opening ceremony of the ICIF at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center on Thursday.

"The ICIF has given 425 Guangdong enterprises, 25 percent of the total exhibitors, the opportunity to attend," he said.

According to a provincial government report, the added value of Guangdong's cultural industry has increased 15 percent year on year since 2004. The figure is expected to double to 300 billion yuan (US$39 billion) by 2010.

At last year's fair, Guangdong enterprises signed seven deals involving 4 billion yuan and this year brought 209 projects, including 19 whose contract value each exceeds 100 million yuan.

As a major contributor to the growth of the province's cultural industry, Shenzhen's cultural sector yielded 38.1 billion yuan in added value in 2006, accounting for 6.7 percent of the city's GDP. The cultural sector has become one of Shenzhen's pillar industries.

Organizers say 1,639 enterprises and 37,000 buyers are attending the fair. Among them 9,000 are overseas buyers from more than 20 countries and regions, almost triple the number last year.

"The growing influence of the ICIF will play an important role in promoting the exports of China's cultural products," Liu Binjie, chief of the General Administration of the Press and Publication, said.

Editor: Yan