North Korea, China to hold annual trade fair

An annual trade exhibition between North Korea and China will be held in October in the Chinese border city of Dandong, local media reported Monday, in the latest sign that economic ties between the two nations are largely unaffected despite the North's nuclear and missile programs.
This year's North Korea-China Economic, Trade, Culture and Tourism Expo, which would be the third of its kind, will begin on Oct. 16, the Dandong Daily said.
The date was set after Hong Gil-nam, vice chairman of the People's Committee of the North's North Pyongan province, bordering China, met with Dandong city mayor Shi Guang last week during which the two sides vowed to spare no efforts to prepare for the upcoming exhibition, according to the report.
About 130 North Korean firms attended last year's exhibition, where they signed 93 preliminary deals worth US$1.6 billion.
Last year, buyers from Pakistan, Malaysia, India, Russia, Hong Kong andTaiwan also attended the five-day fair.