Attendees from afar sought for trade fair

Qingdao is making efforts to attract more exhibitors from home and abroad to the 2014 International Horticultural Expo.

The exhibition will feature a Chinese park, international park and green park, with a total of 122 sections, said Wang Jianxiang, deputy mayor of Qingdao and head of the expo's organizing committee.

Organizers say 124 exhibitors from China and abroad are expected to come, including some from overseas sister provinces and cities, provinces at home as well as cities, companies and institutes within Shandong province.

The executive committee is working to attract foreign exhibitors through cultural and commercial exchanges with foreign countries. By June, 27 exhibitors had made it clear that they will exhibit in the international park, eight of which have already delivered their design proposals.

To date, 13 provinces and 13 cities within Shandong have confirmed their exhibition sections in the Chinese park. The same is true of the Taiwan and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

Twelve companies, such as Tsingtao Beer, Vanke Group and Hirun Investment Group, are also sure to make an appearance in the Green Park, with nine having already submitted their schemes.

The expo promotion office said that the executive committee expects to attract more than 100 exhibitors by September this year, including more than 30 from abroad.

Since construction broke ground, the executive committee has been promoting the expo through various channels, mainly on TV, Internet, newspapers and magazines. The expo's official website and micro blog have also been used to attract foreign exhibitors as well as popularize the event at home and get more citizens in Qingdao involved.

"Video clips, titled Qingdao, A Livable City and International Horticultural Expo Qingdao 2014, have been played in New York's Times Square," said Wang.

"The videos highlight the creative ideas of seven heavenly maidens scattering flowers and seven colored belts," he added.

A three-month-long painting competition for children was launched by the executive committee on June 5 with the goal of mobilizing parents and children to actively participate in the expo, Wang said.

The designs of its emblem and mascot have already been finalized. Agreements have been signed with companies, like China Post, Shandong Air, Haier Group and Bank of Qingdao to co-sponsor the expo. Work is under way to protect intellectual property rights, according to the executive committee.

xiechuanjiao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/11/2012 page12)