Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang said on Wednesday that the country will continue its efforts to develop the western regions and improve the regions' cooperative mechanism with foreign countries.

Wang made the remarks at the ongoing Western China International Fair (WCIF) held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, noting that the western regions are embracing a prime period for rapid development.

Wang said that the western regions have seen big advance in comprehensive economic strength since the implementation of the nation's western development strategy.

Marked progress was also made in sectors including infrastructure, ecological and environmental quality, reform and opening up, and people's living standard, "bringing big opportunities for enterprises worldwide," said Wang.

However, the western regions still lag behind the eastern regions and China shoulders heavy responsibilities to solve poverty and promote harmonious development in the western regions, Wang said.

He reiterated that China will hold unswervingly policies to further the development in the regions.

At the WCIF, China and Europe have inked 270 million U.S. dollars in investment and trade deals.

Among the six deals signed, three investment projects totaling 190 million U.S. dollars will provide funding for a Sino-French sewage treatment project, a Sichuan Mianyang Haosheng BMW engine project, and increased investment in Shell Oil Company gas stations.

Three trade projects worth a total of 80 million U.S. dollars were signed.

The total export volume from Sichuan to Europe reached 6.87 billion U.S. dollars in the first nine months of this year, according to statistics released by the provincial Department of Commerce.

The WCIF is an annual state-level international exposition under the co-sponsorship of China's 16 ministries, 12 provincial-level divisions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in western China.

This year's WCIF will be held from Wednesday to Sunday in Chengdu.