The 12th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF) is expected to provide a strong platform for Sino-foreign SMEs to further advance co-operation and upgrade technologies and production, said the organizer.

He Zuoxian, deputy director-general of Guangdong SME Bureau and director-general of the Bureau of CISMEF, said the event, to be held in Guangzhou from Oct 10 to Nov 11, is the largest trade and co-operative fair for SMEs in the Chinese mainland.

"A myriad of business opportunities will be created during the fair for Sino-foreign SMEs to expand co-operation and trade," He said in the southern metropolis on Wednesday.

More than 80 percent of exhibition booths and halls have been booked by Sino-foreign SMEs so far, he added.

The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, Guangdong provincial government and the Malaysian government.

More than 3,000 SMEs from 31 provinces, municipalities and regions from the mainland and 20 foreign countries and regions will participate.

Chinese SMEs signed 29.3 billion yuan ($4.57 billion) worth of business and cooperative contracts with foreign counterparts at last year’s event.