The 14th East China Fair, which ended yesterday, sealed record trade deals amid a huge demand from Europe and the United States.

　　Export deals worth US$2.56 billion were signed during the seven-day fair, China's second largest trade fair, a rise of 25.43 percent from last year, Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission, one of the organizers, disclosed yesterday.

　　A total of 18,915 overseas buyers from 150 countries and regions visited the fair held at Shanghai New International Expo Center.

　　The number is 20.1 percent more than at the last fair, the organizers said.

　　"We've seen a rise in the number of visitors from Europe and the United States where the market demand has been increasing as a result of economic recovery," said Tang Qingfu, an official with the fair's organizing office. "This bodes well for China's whole year export picture this year."

　　The European Union signed trade deals worth US$497.8 million at the fair, followed by US buyers who ordered textile and light industry products worth US$397.4 million.

　　Japan remained the biggest buyer at the fair, netting trade deals worth US$602.5 million.

　　Trade deals from private companies hit US$845.3 million, accounting for a third of the total. Those from state-owned firms amounted to US$1.19 billion, taking up 46.3 percent.