BEIJING, June 15 -- The 18th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF) will be held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, from June 26 to 30.

Jointly held by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the State Administration for Market Regulation and the provincial government of Guangdong, the fair will focus on the actual needs of small and medium-sized enterprises, said Xu Xiaolan, vice minister of the MIIT, at a press conference.

The second International Cooperation Summit for Small and Medium Enterprises will also be held during the fair.

Some 1,600 domestic exhibitors and 300 overseas exhibitors have signed up for the fair so far, said Lyu Yuyin, vice governor of Guangdong Province.

As of the end of 2022, there were 52 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in China, while nearly 9,000 "little giant" firms have been cultivated by the MIIT so far.

The "little giant" firms represent the novel elites of SMEs that specialize in niche markets, boast cutting-edge technologies and show great potential.