Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying meets visiting Guizhou provincial Party Secretary Zhao Kezhi (center) and Guizhou Governor Chen Min'er (left) at the Government House on Monday. (Provided to China Daily)

Guizhou, a province in southwest China with abundant energy, minerals and tourism resources, launched its 2013 Guizhou-Hong Kong Investment and Trade Week, in a bid to strengthen its business with Hong Kong and attract more foreign investment.

"We would like to make Hong Kong an international platform for Guizhou to go global and enhance our connection with the world," says Zhao Kezhi, Guizhou provincial Party secretary at the event’s launch on Monday in Hong Kong.

This week, the province aims to sign as many as 33 investment project deals in the city, with an investment value of $22.9 billion. Meanwhile, 22 trade contracts totaling $2.56 billion will also be inked.

Hong Kong, one of Guizhou's major trading partners, has also become a major investment source for Guizhou, accounting for more than 70 percent of total investment from overseas in recent years.

Since 2010, 88 Hong Kong companies have achieved satisfactory results from their investment in Guizhou, says Zhao.

"Hong Kong is playing an increasingly important role in the opening up of Guizhou, becoming our major foreign investor," he adds.

This week marks the third iteration of the Guizhou-Hong Kong Investment and Trade Week in Hong Kong since 2011.

In the previous two campaigns, the province signed 132 contracts with total investments of $29.9 billion, together with 22 trade contracts totaling $11.3 billion.

"These have become important engines for Guizhou's fast economic development," says Chen Min'er, provincial governor of Guizhou.

Chen adds that to deepen cooperation between Guizhou and Hong Kong, both sides will combine advantages and strengths, and further explore cooperation in the fields of finance, industry, manpower, education and tourism.

"Guizhou will continue to build up the Guizhou-Hong Kong investment week brand, making it a major showcase for Guizhou’s reform and opening up."

linjingcd@chinadaily.com.cn