The city of Nantong, Jiangsu province, held an opening ceremony for the eighth Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Festival at the city’s sports expo center on Monday.

With the theme “reform triggers vitality, innovation facilitates transformation,” the event will invite officials, experts and representatives from SME associations and member enterprises to take part in a series of activities, including a summit forum on SME development, a member meeting of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (CASME), and a forum on supply-chain financing services.

The city of Nantong holds?an opening ceremony for the eighth Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Festival at the city’s sports expo center. [Photo/zgnt.net]

Zhang Jingqiang, vice-chairman of the CASME, announced the winners of awards encouraging outstanding enterprises and individuals in innovation, energy conservation and environment protection at the ceremony.

Gu Xiulian, former vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; Li Jinhua, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Zhang Lei, vice-governor of Jiangsu; and Ding Dawei, Party secretary of Nantong, attended the ceremony.

The ninth SME Festival will be hosted in the city of Changchun, Jilin province, in 2015.

Gu Xiulian, former vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress gives a speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/zgnt.net]