The 2001 China Patented High- tech Products Exposition closed Sunday in Qufu, in east China's  Shandong Province.

   Contracts for 261 high-tech projects were signed during the  three-day exposition, which was co-sponsored by the China Patent  Information Center, the Shandong Provincial Patent Office and  Jining City Government.

   Experts and scholars from nearly 100 prestigious colleges and  universities across the country and thousands of domestic and  overseas entrepreneurs attended the exposition. They vowed to  conduct cooperation in high-tech projects.

   According to a local official, the province will host a similar exposition next year, also in Qufu, the hometown of the famous  ancient Chinese educator, thinker and philosopher Confucius.