CHANGSHA, June 1 -- Over 200 multinationals are participating in the 13th Central China Investment and Trade Exposition (Expo Central China 2024), which is being held to facilitate trade and investment in the country's central region.

This year's expo is in Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province, and it has attracted the participation of over 1,000 businesses from 32 countries and regions, according to organizers.

"Opening-up and innovation for the rise of central China" is the theme of the 2024 event, which has an exhibition area of approximately 40,000 square meters. It features a variety of areas covering fields such as digital finance, the low-altitude economy and biomedicine.

China's central region is comprised of the six provinces of Shanxi, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi. The country has highlighted the need to accelerate the rise of its central region as part of its efforts to promote coordinated regional development.

Expo Central China 2024 kicked off on May 31 and will run until June 2, featuring four major activities and more than 20 thematic activities and site visits. Organizers have also scheduled a roundtable for multinationals in attendance, as well as a matchmaking event for multinationals and Hunan's government departments, economic development and high-tech zones and businesses.

China's central region, known for its agriculture, energy and equipment manufacturing industries, is accelerating its construction of a modern industrial system. It is also coordinating its transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, nurturing and developing emerging industries, and planning for future industrial development.

Since its launch in 2006, Expo Central China has played an important role in promoting the coordinated development of the regional economy and expanding the region's opening-up.

A total of 433 project deals were inked at the 12th Expo Central China, with 25 of those projects involving foreign investment, data shows.