THE trading volume of the 7th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) reached a record 124.549 billion yuan (US$19 billion) by noon yesterday, more than 14 percent over last year, a press conference said.

Deals involving cultural product exports exceeded 12.4 billion yuan, accounting for over 9 percent of the total, Vice Mayor Wu Yihuan said at the news conference.

Having an exhibition area of 108,000 square meters, the ICIF attracted more than 12,000 overseas procurers, over 2,000 more than last year.

"The ICIF is playing an increasingly important role in driving the development of the cultural industries in Shenzhen," said Chen Wei, head of the city's culture, sports and tourism bureau.

Chen said that the ICIF was gradually becoming an important platform for Shenzhen to attract investment from outside the city.

He added that the ICIF had also pushed the development of the local modern service industry.

A member of the ICIF organizing committee, Wu Zhong, said that more professional exhibitions would be introduced and included in the next ICIF to further raise the event's professional level.

"The organizing committee of the ICIF will improve strategic cooperation with international enterprises and commercial associations to attract more competent international exhibitors to the event," Wu said.

Wu said the organizing committee would step up its efforts to connect cultural projects with great potential using foreign capital.

"We will also try to attract more growing enterprises to attend the ICIF and make the event a platform of the cultural industries," said Wu.

This year's ICIF attracted more than 3.54 million visitors in it main venue and 40 subvenues across the city.