(Yicai Global) July 15 -- China's northern province of Shandong plans to send 4,000 businesses to the second China International Import Expo this year, which will take place over 300,000 square meters in Shanghai from Nov. 5 through Nov. 10.

The province wants the firms to buy into the equipment, consumer, food health and services sector, the deputy head of Shandong's commerce department said at a recent roadshow held in provincial capital Jinan to attract investors. It also wants to get 10,000 companies registered for the CIIE and send over 20,000 attendees, he added.

Shandong companies partnered Canadian, Indonesian and other foreign companies in the agriculture and food sectors at last year's CIIE, local news outlet Dazhong Daily cited Wang Yin, president of the CNNHO Consortium's public utility unit, as saying.

"We will focus on daily necessities, food and agriculture products this year," he added, "and foreign companies with outstanding performance in the quality of their supply chains."

Almost 13,000 people signed up to 32 procurement teams set up by Shandong at last year's event, while some 7,000 businesses involved in manufacturing, foreign trade, services, catering and e-commerce headed to the expo to trade and find new business partners.

Editor: James Boynton