YINCHUAN -- An economic and trade forum between China and Arab regions kicked off Wednesday in Northwest China's Ningxia, the country's only provincial-level autonomous region for the Hui ethnic group.

The China (Ningxia) International Investment and Trade Fair and the 3rd China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum is scheduled to be held from Sept 12 to 16 in the region's capital Yinchuan.

More than 7,000 domestic and overseas officials, exhibitors, purchasers and investors from Libya, Jordan, Iraq, Katar and other countries attended the event, according to the organizing committee.

With the theme of "friendship, cooperation and development", the forum includes trades fair, seminars on energy, agriculture, finance, halal and cultural exchange, and Arabic ethnic performances. A friendship match between soccer teams of China and United Arab Emirates is also to be held on Wednesday evening.

The annual event is jointly sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, and foreign leaders, including President of Central Africa Francois Bozize, President of Micronesia Emanuel Mori and Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Michael Thomas Somare also attended the ceremony.