The Changzhou (China) International Forum on Science and Technology & Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation 2012 attracted a total of 1,121 participants, of which nearly 80% were here at the forum for the first time.
　　Among the participating businessmen, 328 were from Europe and America, and 133 were from Japan and Korea, accounted for more than 40% of the overall participating merchants. The consular officials of Israel, Ethiopia, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand and Bulgaria Consulates General in Shanghai attended the opening ceremony. A total of 87 Fortune 500 companies, as well as internationally renowned multinational companies and institutions, joined the forum.
　　During the forum, 36 contracted foreign investment projects were signed; the total investment reached USD 3.53 billion; and the registered foreign investment on agreement made USD 1.62 billion. Breakthroughs have been made in the investment attraction field, involving advanced equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials, bio-pharmacy, modern logistics and other industries, which are the city's focus of development.