The 3rd WCIF was jointly sponsored by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce and the People's Government of Sichuan Province. It was officially named the 3rd Western China International Fair themed Gearing Western China into the World, held from May 25 to 28, 2002, in Chengdu.

Sun Fuling, vice chairman of the CPPCC and leaders of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce were present at the WCIF. President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn was present at the fair and delivered a speech. It attracted more than 1,400 overseas exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions such as the US, UK, Germany, France and Japan, and more than 1,000 domestic businesspersons and more than 4,000 representatives from the delegations of cities, prefectures and enterprises of Sichuan Province.

At the WCIF, a total of 267 investment and cooperation agreements (contracts) were signed, total investment amounting to 19.797 billion yuan; of that the agreement (contract) investment introduced 16.004 billion yuan. There were 43 foreign invested projects with total investment reaching US$363 million, introducing foreign investment US$255 million under agreements (contracts). And a total of 224 domestic cooperation projects, total investment 16.784 billion yuan, agreement (contract) investment amounting to 13.887 billion yuan. A total of 48 trade agreements (contracts) were signed and the contracted amount reached 6.42 billion yuan. The on-site retailing amount reached more than 200 million yuan.

The WCIF put emphasis on the IT industry, food industry, agriculture and culture industry and was divided into the special exhibition, international exhibition and domestic comprehensive exhibition. It attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors. There were more than 1,400 exhibition booths, exhibition area reaching 30,000 square meters, and special equipment exhibition area reaching 8,000 square meters. IT exhibition became a highlight of the WCIF. 2002 Western China International IT Exhibition, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, China Electronics Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong Electronics Industries Association, the Chamber of Hong Kong Computer Industry and the Hong Kong Electronics Parts Chamber of Commerce, attracted more than 300 IT enterprises across the world. The exhibition changed from a comprehensive exhibition to professional exhibition.

A total of 22 professional symposia and fairs were held. Sichuan Province held an investment promotion seminar to promote 383 important projects of investment. Shaanxi Province, Guangzhou, Bayingol Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang, and Zoetermeer, Netherlands held project promotion seminars and investment environment introduction meetings.