DALIAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The northeast China port city of Dalian is hoping to cement its place in the World Economic Forum (WEF) schedules by winning the third "Annual Meeting of the New Champions" in September next year, said Dalian Mayor Xia Deren.

    The gathering, also known as the summer meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) or Summer Davos, will be the second WEF event to be held in the coastal city since the inaugural meeting of the New Champions in September last year.

    Four companies in Dalian -- Dalian Port Group, Dalian Machine Tool Group, refrigeration equipment producer Bingshan Group and lighting products maker Luming Group -- became members of the WEF's Community of the Global Growth Companies at the announcement on Wednesday in Dalian.

    The global growth companies are rapidly growing businesses that are successful and drive their whole sector forward. The WEF has 160 GGC members, 35 of them from China, including 13 companies based in Dalian.

    Xia said the four companies were "all outstanding enterprises in Dalian" and he believed "more such companies in Dalian would join the GGC community with the deepening of cooperation".

    He said Dalian's selection for the third annual meeting of the New Champions indicated "a continuation of the cooperation between Dalian and the WEF and marked a new level of cooperation".

    Andre Schneider, WEF managing director and chief operating officer, said Dalian was chosen based on the quality of facilities and the environment and its increasing recognition as a new champion city.

    The inaugural meeting of the New Champions attracted 2,000 participants, including government officials, scholars and business leaders from 90 countries and regions.

    Schneider said on Wednesday that the four Dalian companies were not only leading players in China, but also strong challengers and innovators reshaping the global business landscape.

    The WEF would establish a long-term strategic partnership with Dalian and make the rapidly developing city a base for the Summer Davos in China.

    The WEF, founded in 1971 and based in Geneva, promotes itself as an independent and not-for-profit organization that convenes at the beginning of each year in the Swiss ski resort of Davos for economic and political dialogue. Participants include political and business leaders and entrepreneurs.

    Since last year, the Summer Davos has been held annually in China. The northern port city of Tianjin will host the second Summer Davos from Sep. 25 to 27 this year.

    The WEF is to conduct an open tender process to determine the host city for the 2010 Annual Meeting of the New Champions. The criteria will be announced after the Tianjin meeting.