The international food and beverage exhibition, SIAL, announced on Thursday that it will scale up its arrangements in China next year. Its Shanghai exhibition is scheduled to open in May and cover an area of 200,000 square meters. More than 5,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries and regions are expected to join.

SIAL Shenzhen, another major event, will take place on Sept 2-4, when more than 1,500 exhibitors from 43 countries and regions will attend.

Yu Peishun, former vice-chairman of the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, says he hopes SIAL can further play the role of a world-class trade platform, build a solid bridge for communication and connection between Chinese and foreign enterprises, and contribute to the high-quality development of the global food industry and the positive recovery of the world economy.

Jo Cadilhon, the French embassy's agricultural counselor in China, says that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France will provide a broader international stage for SIAL China. He hopes that SIAL China will continue to play a greater role as a bridge, promoting economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and France, as well as other European countries.