GENEVA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The International Trade Center (ITC) said Wednesday it will provide support to 100 companies from 20 least developed countries (LDCs) and developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to participate in November's China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The CIIE will be held in Shanghai on Nov. 5-10.

"ITC is proud to partner with China for the first edition of CIIE, which offers a new arena for South-South trade, cooperation, and dialogue," said ITC Executive Director Arancha Gonzalez.

The micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) going to China have been selected from a variety of sectors, including food, textiles and apparel, and services.

In Shanghai, the ITC-supported companies will be showcasing their products and services, establishing new contacts with potential business partners and exploring how to tap into the Chinese market.

In cooperation with its partners, ITC has been preparing the selected companies to participate in global trade fairs and familiarize themselves with Chinese market requirements.

This has included the development of dedicated e-learning courses on exporting to China, offered through ITC's SME Trade Academy platform.

ITC experts will provide continued advisory support to companies throughout the event, to set up their booths and manage their business interactions with visitors and professional buyers.

In addition to the companies attending CIIE, ITC is providing support to trade and investment support institutions from Bolivia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Nepal, to take part in the event in Shanghai.

According to data on CIIE's website, more than 2,800 companies from over 130 countries and regions are expected to join the expo.

"For the companies, we are supporting to attend, (and) the event provides a unique opportunity to tap into the huge potential offered by the Chinese market," said Gonzalez.

"For developing and least developed countries, the CIIE is an opportunity to be exposed to new export markets and increase their competitiveness through trade."

The ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations that assists small- and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets.