More than 10 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have so far registered in China, acting as a crucial part of the national economy, according to theongoing Third APEC Medium and Small Enterprises Technology Conference Fair.

Sponsored by the National Development and Reform Commission, the conference opened Tuesday in Qingdao, a coastal city of eastern Shandong Province.

SMEs in China, making up 99 percent of its total number of enterprises, have contributed about half of the gross domestic product (GDP), 60 percent of the exports and 43 percent of the taxation of the country, according to the statistics released by the fair's organizing committee.

The SMEs also provide 75 percent of the jobs in urban areas of the country.

The Chinese government has taken a series of measures, including enacting related laws and regulations, giving stronger financial support and quickening construction of a service system,to promote the development of the SMEs.

The government has set about to improve the "financing environment", remaining a key hindrance for the SMEs' development,by establishing over 1,200 institutions for credit guarantee to them and accordingly having raised over 31 billion yuan (3.73 billion US dollars) by the end of last year.

Officials with the State Development and Reform Commission, said that the Chinese government would continue to push the exchanges and cooperation between the SMEs of the Asia-Pacific region.

The conference aiming to strengthen cooperation and communication of SMEs in the Asia and Pacific Economic Cooperationwill conclude on June 6.

Source: Xinhua