Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, is all set to host the 2006 World Horticulture Exposition.

Following the successful 1999 session in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, important industrial city Shenyang has won approval from the International Association of Horticulture Producers (IAHP) to hold the exposition.

The show will officially open on April 30 and end on October 31, according to the organizing committee.

The emblem of the expo, modeled after the city flower, is a rose, coloured red and green, symbolizing Shenyang's transformation from an old industrial base to an environmental friendly city.

Covering 246 hectares, the exposition is to be the largest of its kind.

It will be held in the eastern suburbs of Shenyang around Hunhe River, a major river in the city, stretching up to Chessboard Mountain, an ideal skiing destination.

Besides plants and flowers, visitors can also enjoy the scenery and other entertainment.

One of its kind

"A unique collection of northern plants, 100 exhibition gardens and four landmark constructions will be the most attractive parts of the expo," said Zhao Changyi, the city's vice-mayor.

The expo will showcase almost all kinds of vegetation found in northern parts of the world.

It is already home to more than 500,000 rare kinds of trees, such as Korean pines, Japanese black pines, white birches, and dragon spruces, some of which are more than 100 years old.

More than 5.5 million tulips, 8.2 million perennial flowers and 1.3 million bulb flowers will also be on display.

A 10,000-square-metre greenhouse with geothermal energy will be built especially for more than 3,500 types of roses.

"The garden will not only break the world record for growing the most kinds of roses, but also be a wedding venue for couples," Zhao said.

The expo areas will cover 100 gardens, 52 from different domestic cities and regions, 23 from foreign countries showcasing local specialties and 25 gardens displaying environmentally friendly technologies, horticulture and specimens of Chinese traditional medicine.

"Like most internationally famous cities with a landmark, the expo garden will give Shenyang the Lily Tower," Zhao said.

The tower, with a height of 125 metres and designed by a US architect, will be the biggest sculpture in the country.

More about Shenyang

A traditional industrial city specializing in manufacturing machine tools, mining machines and aeroplanes, Shenyang has only around 180 non-frost days every year, and its average winter temperature stands at about minus 25 C.

"But Shenyang is confident. Such events have been held in Germany, the Netherlands and Canada. All of them are cold places. They succeeded and Shenyang can also do it," said Zhao.

This is one of the city's visionary moves to promote its international image.

Over the past decade alone, the municipal government has invested around 1.5 billion yuan (US$184.96 million) in cleaning up and improving the environment.

Statistics from the local economic commission show that around 500 heavy polluters including paper mills, cement factories and steel plants have been shut down in the past four years.

Also, many other firms were moved out of the city before they could reach the minimum standard requirement.

More than 300 were ordered to upgrade technology and reduce pollutant emissions.

New central heating systems have also helped reduce pollution.

Efforts to improve the environment have paid off.

Shenyang was listed by the State Environmental Protection Administration as a model city for environmental protection in 2004.

Shenyang is also reforming its industrial structure. Statistics show that new industries, involving auto parts production, high-tech manufacturing and information technology, now make up 52 per cent of the total industrial output. This has not only revived the economy but also helped reduce pollution.

Enterprises with better economic returns actively invest in environmental protection projects.

All these changes have made Shenyang a magnet for both domestic and foreign investors.

The expo is not an isolated project. It will also help develop Shenyang's eastern rural area into a resort and recreation centre for the city as well as Northeast China.

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