BEIJING - Trade volume between China and the Middle East last year surged to $190 billion, Jiang Zengwei, vice commerce minister said at the "2011 China International Muslim Entrepreneurs Forum" held in Yinchuan.

In the first half of the year 2011, the trade volume increased by 36 percent year-on-year to hit 120 billion dollar mark, Jiang said.

The Entrepreneurs Forum is one of the most important event at the 2nd China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which attracts more than 200 participants from 47 countries and regions.

At the forum, participants exchanged views on Muslim culture, enterprise soft power construction, international cooperation on tourism industry and Moslem food trade and investment.