Businessmen and government officials take part in a discussion panel at last year's expo. Photos provided to China Daily

Aiming to boost economic ties between China and the Republic of Korea, the ninth China-Northeast Asia Expo, or CNEA, provides vast business opportunities for enterprises from both countries, organizers said.

The six-day event that will start on Sept 6 in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, is a key platform for deepening cooperation and cultural exchanges.

"The relationship between China and the ROK remains dynamic despite the global economic downturn, and China is willing to play a part in driving the growth," said Chen Jian, vice-minister of the Ministry of Commerce in China.

He said China will continue its efforts to work hard with all Northeast Asian countries to further strengthen and expand the relationship.

"We could realize it through bilateral trade and multilateral communication," Chen said.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the provincial government of Jilin, the national-level expo will attract more than 500 government officials and businessmen from all the Northeast Asia countries.

As of now, nearly 80 percent of the expo booths have been booked and many well-known companies have confirmed their attendance, including Posco Seoul Business Agency and Kumho Tires. During the expo, there will be a series of conferences and forums, such as the Business Days of Northeast Asian Countries, the Northeast Asian Think Tank Forum, and the EU-China Business Meeting, according to the organizing committee.

The forums will be on various topics concerning trade and economy in the whole region.

Last year, Sino-ROK trade totaled $256.3 billion, an annual increase of 4.4 percent, making China the biggest trading partner of the country.

Chen said Jilin has contributed a lot to the soaring trade between the two sides.

As of April, there were 723 ROK-based companies in Jilin, accounting for 32.71 percent of the total.

It is the largest investor in the province among all foreign countries.

And also, due to its geographic position, Jilin's fate is closely tied to that of the ROK in many ways.

Its Yanbian prefecture is the only Korean autonomous prefecture in China.

By the end of 2012, Jilin had helped 60 domestic companies to invest in the country with the import and export value totaling more than $5 million.

Labor service cooperation has also forged ahead between Jilin and the ROK.

In 2012, there were 15,000 people from Jilin working in the country.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn