China plans to hold an annual water expo, the first of which will be held in October, to promote more efficient methods of water conservation, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The first Water Expo 2007 will be held in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.

The expo, with an exhibition area of around 20,000 square meters, will demonstrate advanced technologies and products on water supply, water conservation and pollution control, said Li Zantang, secretary general of the expo committee.

Currently, China's per capita water resources is about 2,200 cubic meters, one quarter of the world's average.

Latest figures show at least 320 million Chinese risked their health by drinking unclean water in 2006, most of whom live in the country's rural areas.

Source: Xinhua