Beijing Expo 2019 gets set to flower, flourish

International event showcases gardening cultures from home and abroad

The International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 is scheduled to open in Beijing on April 29 and will run through Oct 7, showcasing gardening cultures from various countries, an eco-friendly architectural philosophy and a green lifestyle at the foot of the Great Wall.

The top international event, also known as Beijing Expo 2019, is expected to attract the largest number of exhibitors in the global exhibition's history, according to organizers. By Jan 20, some 110 countries and international organizations, as well as more than 120 nongovernmental exhibitors from across China, had confirmed their attendance.

Tim Briercliffe, secretary-general of the International Association of Horticultural Producers, told Xinhua News Agency that the Beijing expo would attract participation from countries all over the world who would be able to promote their own ideas on how living green means living better.

"We have a very real expectation that in 2019 Beijing will become recognized as the international center for the use of living green in cities," he said.

Feng Yaoxiang, head of the coordination office of the expo's organizing committee, told the Global Times: "We hope that Beijing Expo 2019 will not only showcase flowers and gardening cultures from various countries, but also serve as a platform for cooperation in cultural and economic exchanges."

The expo, approved by the International Association of Horticultural Producers and recognized by the International Exhibitions Bureau, will highlight a variety of plants.

Zhou Jianping, executive deputy director-general of the Beijing World Horticultural Expo Coordination Bureau, told Xinhua News Agency that these will include flowers, fruit trees, vegetables, Chinese herbs and tea.

New plant varieties and high-level gardening products from around the world will be displayed at Beijing Expo 2019 in Yanqing district, giving a boost to the entire value chain ranging from production and distribution to consumption, Zhou added.

This is the seventh time for China to play host to such a high-level international horticulture expo. After its China debut in Kunming, Yunnan province in 1999, the event was held in Shenyang, Liaoning province in 2006; Taipei, Taiwan province in 2010; Xi'an, Shaanxi province in 2011; Qingdao, Shandong province in 2014 and Tangshan, Hebei province in 2016, according to its official website.

Currently, major venues have been built at a 503-hectare core area of the expo and infrastructural facilities including road, power and heat networks have been put into operation.

During the months-long expo, there will be 2,500 cultural activities, bringing visitors rich experiences, organizers said. They will include festooned vehicle parades, forums, international competitions and exhibitions of various nations' cultures, as well as country, province and city-themed day events.

Organizers have considered the facilities' sustainable use after the event, Zhou noted.

The site will add a new attraction to Beijing's tourism resources and offer local residents an emerging leisure holiday resort, he said.

(China Daily 01/29/2019 page7)