Foreign exhibitors pose for a photo at the 12th China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair which opened in Yiwu, Zhejiang province on Nov 1. [Photo provided to chaindaily.com.cn]

The 12th China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair opened in Yiwu, Zhejiang province on Nov 1.

The four-day event attracted 1,696 companies from 32 countries and regions, displaying more than 100,000 forest products such as plants, furniture, wood and bamboo handicrafts, and tea.

Hosted by the State Administration of Forestry and Grassland and the government of Zhejiang province, the event is one of the three major forestry fairs in China.

An exhibitor examines his products at his booth. [Photo/zj.zjol.com]

Since it was initiated in 2008, the fair has attracted a total of 151,000 companies from more than 40 countries to exhibit their products as well as 3.19 million buyers from over 100 countries, striking deals worth 44.38 billion yuan ($6.31 billion) in total, statistics showed.

The fair includes a project signing activity to attract investment in forestry. More than 30 forestry projects worth 4 billion yuan will be introduced, covering areas such as gardening, wood processing and biomass energy.

More countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative are attending the fair, displaying their products in 391 booths, a 74.3-percent increase over last year's event. More than 30 officials from the International Tropical Timber Organization also visited the fair to learn about China's achievements in promoting the sustainable use of forest resources.

The fair also features special booths set up for 93 poverty-stricken areas which Zhejiang province is providing assistance to, as well as booths for more than 2,000 forest products from Taiwan companies.

In addition to the main fair, forums and seminars will be held to discuss innovative and digital development within the forestry industry.