China's most influential agricultural high-tech expo opened Sunday in Xi'an City, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, highlighting agricultural innovation and high-tech advancement.

More than 5,000 new agricultural technologies and projects of over 1,100 companies from home and abroad are showcased at the 16th China Yangling Agricultural Hi-Tech Fair, said Liang Hongxian, deputy director of Yangling hi-tech zone's administration committee.

Addressing the opening of the fair, State Councilor Liu Yandon gurged efforts to develop modern ecological agriculture with high yields, high quality and high efficiency through science and technology advancement.

It is imperative to push for the agricultural innovation to achieve development, to settle the "double restrictions" China's agriculture faces, namely the resources environment and market supply and demand, Liu said.

China welcomes foreign agricultural companies to invest and setup R&D branches in the country and encourages domestic hi-tech agricultural companies to explore the overseas market, she added.

The fair is jointly hosted by the provincial government of Shaanxi and the ministries of science and technology, commerce, education, agriculture and 14 other ministries.

The previous 15 fairs attracted more than 13 million business people and visitors from home and abroad, recording a combined transaction volume of 160 billion yuan and bringing benefits to more than 300 million farmers, Liang said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2009)