Planned 2019 horticulture fair drawing interest

More than 30 countries have expressed interest in participating in the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 in Yanqing, Beijing, according to organizers.

The organizing committee is expecting 200 participants by the time the exhibition opens in the spring of 2019.

Themed "Live Green, Live Better", the Beijing Expo 2019 eyes displaying the concept of "great horticulture" and demonstrating every aspect of the industry, including new gardening products, technologies, techniques and concepts.

According to organizers, more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, have reached out to the committee since the official invitation was sent out after it was signed by Premier Li Keqiang.

"We expect about 100 official participants and 100 non-official ones," said Wang Jinzhen, commissioner general of Beijing Expo 2019. "International participants will be divided into five zones, including Europe, Africa, Asia, America and Oceania, and international organizations."

Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan province organized the International Horticultural Exihibition in 1999, and Shanghai held the more comprehensive Expo 2010. The previous edition of the horti-expo event is currently in Antalya, Turkey.

Beijing won the bid for the 2019 event in 2012. The Beijing Expo 2019 will run from April 29 to Oct 7, spanning a total of 162 days.