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A large convention and exhibition center will be built in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, an economic powerhouse in east China.

A cornerstone was laid for the center recently in the city, which is also a popular scenic resort.

The center, with proposed budget of two billion yuan (240 million U.S. dollars), will have an area of 120,000 square meters and will offer quality facilities to international conventions and exhibitions.

Dong Jianping, a government official in Hangzhou, said that the center, which is designed according to international standards and expected to be completed by 2006, will help Hangzhou improve its performance in the booming convention and exhibition market.

The center's size, infrastructure and high-tech facilities will be able to meet the requirements organizers seeking to present large international conferences and exhibitions, said the official.

China now holds about 1,500 large exhibitions and conventions each year and most of these are held in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, according to official information.

Sources indicate that in developed countries, the exhibition industry is regarded as a key component of an environmentally-friendly tourism economy, which is in turn able to promote the development of related industries, including telecommunications, aviation, public transport and insurance.