Artist's rendering of the Yongding Tower, another landmark. Provided to China Daily

Yet another important international event in Beijing, following on the heels of the Olympic Games success, is expected to offer plenty of business opportunities for both Chinese and foreign companies.

The 9th China International Garden Expo, which is scheduled to open next April and to run through October 2013, has already attracted attention.

A related conference in Beijing on Thursday attracted more than 80 companies in the capital, the organizers have said.

The participants included Chinese industries on the Fortune 500 list, such as CNPC, Sinopec, the State Grid Corporation of China, China Mobile, and the Shougang Group.

Thanks to its duration, scale, large number of projects and participants, the upcoming garden event is expected to provide enormous opportunities for enterprises everywhere.

Companies are now being solicited as sponsors or developers of the exhibition gardens, or participants in public projects for the exhibition site.

The sponsorships can come in various forms - such as financial disbursements, products, and services - or at various levels, such as sponsor, partner, designated service provider, designated product provider, or special logo provider.

Any company that reaches a strategic cooperation agreement with the organizers will have direct access to full use of the expo's public relations facilities and priority in selecting an exhibition site.

The 267-hectare expo site is near the Yongding River and expected to consist of five parts representing modern design, traditional architecture, international elements, gardens of companies and individual designers, and an interactive area where visitors can show their skill at such things as flower arrangement.

The foundations have already been laid for some of the expo landmarks, including the China Garden Museum, the main exhibition hall, and a 70-meter-tall tower. By the end of next year, the site will have more than 100 scenic sites.

So far, around 150 cities have expressed an interest in the event and the organizers have said they are still looking for international sponsors.

(China Daily 08/26/2011 page7)