Chronicle of Xi'an's bidding

Chronicle of Xi'an's bidding

Updated: 2011-03-29


2006 On November 18, Chen Baogen, Acting Mayor of Xi’an, wrote to AIPH President Doeke Faber to express the city’s sincere desire to host the A2+B1-level International Horticultural Exposition and extend an invitation to all AIPH experts to visit and inspect Xi’an. 2007 On January 23, the “Leading Group for the Preparation of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition” was officially established. In May, Zhao Leji, Secretary of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, and Yuan Chunqing, Governor of Shaanxi Province, wrote a formal letter to Jiang Zehui, Chairman of the China Flower Association. At that time, Xi’an had already started planning and building the facilities of the International Horticultural Exposition. Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CPC and People’s Government of Shaanxi Province gave their full support to Xi’an’s preparation for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. On August 23, State Forestry Administration, P.R. China wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) to show its support for Xi’an’s bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. On August 29, the China Flower Association officially confirmed that Xi’an represented China the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. On August 30, the CCPIT officially confirmed that Xi’an was to represent China in its bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, signed the bidding commission contract for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an with Nanba Tetuaki, Director of JCOM China Co., Ltd. The signing of the contract symbolized the official start of the application procedure for the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. On August 31, Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee, led a delegation to England to present the bidding statement to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. On September 4, AIPH President Doeke Faber announced that Xi’an would be the host city of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 at the 59th AIPH meeting. The International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an would be held as an A2+B1 level exhibition. AIPH President Doeke Faber congratulated Xi’an on winning the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. 2008 On the morning of April 7, key officials attended the inaugural ceremony of the Chan-Ba Financial Business Zone at the Chan-Ba Ecological District. Leaders in attendance included Yang Sunxi, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of HKI Group; Zhao Zhengyong, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Provincial Committee of Shaanxi and Executive Vice Governor of Shaanxi Provincial People's Government; Chen Baogen, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mayor of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province; Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Provincial Committee of Shaanxi and Secretary of the CPC Working Committee of Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District. In May, Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd was officially incorporated. The company’ business license was handled at the Industry and Commerce Administration of Xi’an. Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd is a state-owned limited liability company and a sole proprietorship. Its business scope covers: preparation, construction and operational management of the International Horticultural Exposition; land development and consolidation; real estate development and marketing; property management; tourism development; infrastructure projects and supporting facilities; design, production, distribution and agency services for advertising; national trade; and import and export of goods and technology. On the afternoon of June 12, the Expert Review Conference on the “outline of the master plan of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition 2011” was held on the first floor of the conference hall of the Management Committee Building of the Chan-Ba Ecological District. Officials from the China Association for Exhibition Centers, CCPIT Shaanxi Sub-council, Shaanxi Flower Association, and other renowned experts came to the Chan-Ba Ecological District to review and discuss the outline of the master plan of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an. Notable experts in attendance included Lv Renyi, Professor at the Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology; Wang Jing, Chairman of Yunnan Expo Tourism Holdings, Ltd, a leading organizer of the International Horticultural Exposition 1999; Fan Zhimin, Professor at Northwest A&F University; Liu Yuchun, President of the Northwest Institute of Forest Inventory, Planning and Design of the Ministry of the Chinese State Forestry Administration; Zheng Wei, Chief Planner of the International Horticultural Exposition 2006; Duan Mushan, Deputy Director of the China Research Center of Landscape Architectural Design and Planning; Wu Nong, Professor of Northwestern Polytechnical University; and Wang Wenjia, Chief Designer of Chuanjia Architectural Design and Planning Company. On July 9, the 1000-day countdown to the start of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, AIPH President Dr. Doeke Faber, AIPH Vice President Shinya WATA, leaders from the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District such as Wang Jun and Yang Liuqi as well as the distinguished guests of all circles were all present at the launch ceremony. The grand ceremony to celebrate the 1000-day countdown to the start of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an and the launch ceremony of "Emblem, Song and Mascot for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Global Collection Activity" was held in the Kempinski Hotel at the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an. From October 26 to 31, the delegation led by Dong Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Xi'an Municipal People's Government participated in the AIPH Annual Meeting held in Dubai, UAE at the invitation of the AIPH and the Provincial Government of Istanbul, Turkey. The delegation visited Mr. Zu Caligula'nın, the Vice Governor of Istanbul Province, and discussed the participation invitation work with representatives from horticultural organizations from over 20 countries. Before the annual meeting, Dong Jun met with AIPH President Dr. Doeke Faber and passed along Mayor Chen Baogen's holographic letter of congratulations. On the morning of October 31, at the seat of the Municipal Government of Istanbul, the delegation presented the Mayor of Istanbul with an official International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Invitation Letter. On December 20, John Howkins, known as "Father of the Creative Industry", paid a visit to the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an and assumed the position of Creative Consultant for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. 2009 On April 7, 2009, the first signing ceremony for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was held. The contract signing for eight construction projects including the Canada Garden, Horticultural Therapy Garden (Japan), Korean Garden, New Zealand Garden, Space Plant Garden, Insect Pavilion, Wonder Stone Pavilion and Swan Rare Bird Garden symbolized the great progress that the construction of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an has made thus far. On April 10, 2009, the landscape planning for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an designer by Mr. KOBAYASHI HARUTO, a famous landscape designer from Japan and the Chief Designer of ATLAS passed its review. On August 15, the promotional slogan for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was decided upon. The Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China held an expert review meeting to determine the slogan for the Exposition and selected 20 of the best entries from over 12000 entries. The final review will soon be carried out to determine the promotional slogan of the Exposition, which will be announced during a press briefing. On the morning of September 8, the commencement ceremony for the "Four Main Building for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an" was held at the site of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. The leaders from the Commission of Baqiao District of Xi'an, the Baqiao District Government, the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District, the Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China, Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd and China State Construction Engineering Corp. attended and cut the ribbon at the commencement ceremony. In early September, the results of the "Emblem for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Global Collection Activity" were announced. On the afternoon of October 20, Vice Chairman Wang Gang assumed the position of Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. Wang Gang, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference listened to reports in Zhongnanhai regarding Xi’an’s economic development and urban construction and the preparatory work for the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition and Chan-Ba Ecological District from Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mr. Wang Jun. Wang agreed to become the Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, and stated, "I will give further support to the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition after assuming the position of honorary chairman. Please let me know if you need my assistance in solving any problems in the preparatory stage. " 2010 On March 1, the steel structure of the Theme Pavilion, which is one of the four main buildings for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, was hoisted. Its hoisting marks that the construction for the Exposition has entered an accelerated phase. On March 28, the specific time for the opening and closing ceremony of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was determined. From March 24 to 28, the AIPH Annual Spring Meeting was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The meeting decided upon the duration for the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition: April 28, 2011 to October 22, 2011. In April, the results of the Name Collection Prize Contest for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China (referred to as "Xi'an Int'l Horticultural Expo 2011") Scenic Spots were disclosed, and the names of ten buildings and lakes were announced. On the morning of May 29, the total package program for the interior decoration and exhibition of the Theme Pavilion was determined. The Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an held the review meeting concerning this program. Yang Liuqi, Yao Jingfang, Yang Xijun and other leaders were present during the meeting. Nanba Tetsuaki，the chief planning consultant of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition, and other heads representing relevant departments of the Preparatory Office also attended the meeting. On the morning of June 3, the primary constructions of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an were successfully completed and the grand roof-sealing ceremony was held at the working site of the Chang’an Tower. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Dong Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Xi'an, Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Secretary of CPC Working Committee of Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District, Yang Dianzhong, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Secretary-General of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Huang Haiqing, Vice Mayor of Xi’an, Wu Hui, Secretary-General of Xi'an Municipal Government and other leaders as well as Zhang Jinqiu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, were present at the ceremony. Leading members of the Baqiao District, the Chan-Ba Ecological District and other departments concerned at the municipal level also attended the ceremony. On the morning of June 17, the Organizing Committee of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an held its first meeting in Beijing, listened to reports regarding the preparatory work for construction of the International Horticultural Exposition and studied and deployed the work in the next phase for the committee. The meeting marked an important turning point in the preparatory work for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an and showed that “Xi'an’s International Horticultural Exposition” had already transformed into an “International Horticultural Exposition for the whole country”. Wang Gang, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an attended the meeting and gave an important speech. Jia Zhibang, Minister of the Chinese State Forestry Administration, Wan Jifei, Chairman of CCPIT and Jiang Zehui, Chairman of the China Flower Association also gave speeches, while Zhao Zhengyong, Deputy Secretary of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Acting Governor of Shaanxi Province presided over the meeting. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee reported on the preparations for the construction of the International Horticultural Exposition and the work required for the next step. Zhu Lieke, Vice Minister of the State Forestry Administration, Yao Yinliang, Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province, and Chen Baogen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mayor of Xi’an, all attended the meeting. From July 1 to December 31, promotional films for Xi’an and the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition will be broadcast on CCTV. With the first rays of morning sunshine, a nationwide audience can get a glimpse of Xi’an’s ancient charm as well as its brand new look. On July 2, the launch ceremony for the 300-day countdown to the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an was held in Xi’an. At midnight, nearly a hundred university students celebrated the ceremony at the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda. The launch ceremony for the 300-day countdown to the opening ceremony of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition was held in the Auditorium of the Xi'an Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. Chen Baogen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee, Mayor of Xi’an, Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition made an important speech and unveiled the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an 300-day countdown billboard with Cheng Qunli, Chairman of the Xi'an People's Political Consultative Conference. Wang Chengwen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, presided over the meeting. On July 2, Xi’an held a citywide mobilization meeting for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an. On the morning of July 4, in Xi’an’s Weihui Park, 523 private cars formed the pattern of the Chang’an Flower, the emblem of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition. The total pattern area reached 120,000 square meters. A certification official from Guinness World Records was on the scene and certified that pattern had successfully challenged the record for a single car pattern in terms of the numbers of cars involved and the coverage area. The pattern broke the world record and became the largest car pattern with the most number of cars involved. The certifying official issued the certification to the organizer. The CCTV program “Zhengda Variety Show •Guinness World Records-Night of China” recorded the entire activity and will broadcast it in the near future. At 10 a.m. on July 16, a press conference regarding the ticketing operations of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an and the Exposition Partners Signing Ceremony were held in the Kempinski Hotel at the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an. Wang Jun, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, and Secretary of CPC Working Committee of the Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District, Huang Haiqing, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and Vice Mayor of Xi’an, and Yang Liuqi, Ad Hoc Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, Director of the Preparatory Office of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition and Director of the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District were all present during this press conference. The sponsor announced to the public the exposition ticket plan and displayed a sample of the ticket. Dozens of representatives from notable domestic enterprises appeared at the press conference including Zhang Shucang, Deputy General Manager of China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, Zhang Xu, President of China Golddeal Investment Co., Ltd., Dong Bo, Service Director of China Eastern, Zhang Xiao, Deputy Director of Shaanxi TV, Wang Jianmin, Deputy General Manager of China Eastern Northwest Branch, Wei Zhilin, General Manager of the Service Quality Control Department of China Eastern, and Hu Zhongwei, Deputy Chief Economist of China Eastern Northwest Branch. They signed global partnership agreements with the sponsor, senior sponsor, supplier or ticket agent. Dong Bo, Service Director of China Eastern, and Zhang Xu, President of China Golddeal Investment Co., Ltd. each delivered speeches at the Exposition Partners Signing Ceremony. On July 16 at the Baqiao District, a security kick-off ceremony of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an was held, which marked the official launch of the exposition security work. The Baqiao District has input 20, 000 professional security guards and purchased professional equipment worth RMB 4.50 million. Network patrol will be adopted to guarantee a “safe International Horticultural Exposition”. On July 24, the recipients of the Jin Haitun (Golden Dolphin) Award, an award for exhibitions in China equivalent to the Academy Award for film, were formally announced. The Chan-Ba Ecological District in Xi’an, the site of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition, was listed among “China Top 10 Popular Meeting Destinations 2009-2010”. Yang Liuqi, Ad Hoc Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticulture Exposition and Director of the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District, was honored as “2009 Person of the Year for Exhibitions in China” together with nine other individuals. On August 11, the Publicity Group of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition invited Immersive Environment Co., Ltd (IECL), CyberClassics, CRYSTAL CG- the contracted operator of the Expo 2010 Shanghai China Online to meet to discuss the plan for International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China Online. Xu Junqian, Deputy Director of the Preparatory Office of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and other related leaders also attended the meeting. On August 16, the Xi’an Cultural Day of the Expo Shanghai 2010 and the Daming Palace Week- an event with the theme of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition joining hands with the World Expo Shanghai was celebrated at the Shanghai Expo site. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Yang Dianzhong, Secretary-General of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Duan Xiannian, Vice Mayor of Xi'an, Zhao Wen, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Ding Hao, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo, Dr. Awni Behnam, UN Commissioner General, Sun Liansheng, Director of 2010 Expo Urban Best Practice Area and several National Pavilion directors attended the event. Actress Yan Ni, a native of Xi’an, is the image ambassador of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition. She provided a brilliant introduction and glowing recommendation for the exposition to the audience in attendance. On the morning of August 23, a discussion meeting regarding online media cooperation for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was held at the Xi’an Chan-Ba Urban Square. Sina, Tianya Club, Huashang, and Xi’an QQ.com all sent representatives to this meeting to discuss online publicity for the exposition. On August 25, Eva, the chief designer of Plasma and global leader of Landscape Urbanism, arrived at the site of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. She was interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and Phoenix Satellite TV, during which she discussed her design concepts and experience. During the interview, she also expressed her high expectations for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an.

2006

On November 18, Chen Baogen, Acting Mayor of Xi’an, wrote to AIPH President Doeke Faber to express the city’s sincere desire to host the A2+B1-level International Horticultural Exposition and extend an invitation to all AIPH experts to visit and inspect Xi’an.

2007

On January 23, the “Leading Group for the Preparation of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition” was officially established.

In May, Zhao Leji, Secretary of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee, and Yuan Chunqing, Governor of Shaanxi Province, wrote a formal letter to Jiang Zehui, Chairman of the China Flower Association. At that time, Xi’an had already started planning and building the facilities of the International Horticultural Exposition. Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the CPC and People’s Government of Shaanxi Province gave their full support to Xi’an’s preparation for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

On August 23, State Forestry Administration, P.R. China wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) to show its support for Xi’an’s bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

On August 29, the China Flower Association officially confirmed that Xi’an represented China the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

On August 30, the CCPIT officially confirmed that Xi’an was to represent China in its bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011. Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, signed the bidding commission contract for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an with Nanba Tetuaki, Director of JCOM China Co., Ltd. The signing of the contract symbolized the official start of the application procedure for the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

On August 31, Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee, led a delegation to England to present the bidding statement to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

On September 4, AIPH President Doeke Faber announced that Xi’an would be the host city of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 at the 59th AIPH meeting. The International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an would be held as an A2+B1 level exhibition. AIPH President Doeke Faber congratulated Xi’an on winning the bid to host the International Horticultural Exposition 2011.

2008

On the morning of April 7, key officials attended the inaugural ceremony of the Chan-Ba Financial Business Zone at the Chan-Ba Ecological District. Leaders in attendance included Yang Sunxi, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of HKI Group; Zhao Zhengyong, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Provincial Committee of Shaanxi and Executive Vice Governor of Shaanxi Provincial People's Government; Chen Baogen, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mayor of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province; Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Provincial Committee of Shaanxi and Secretary of the CPC Working Committee of Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District.

In May, Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd was officially incorporated. The company’ business license was handled at the Industry and Commerce Administration of Xi’an. Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd is a state-owned limited liability company and a sole proprietorship. Its business scope covers: preparation, construction and operational management of the International Horticultural Exposition; land development and consolidation; real estate development and marketing; property management; tourism development; infrastructure projects and supporting facilities; design, production, distribution and agency services for advertising; national trade; and import and export of goods and technology.

On the afternoon of June 12, the Expert Review Conference on the “outline of the master plan of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition 2011” was held on the first floor of the conference hall of the Management Committee Building of the Chan-Ba Ecological District. Officials from the China Association for Exhibition Centers, CCPIT Shaanxi Sub-council, Shaanxi Flower Association, and other renowned experts came to the Chan-Ba Ecological District to review and discuss the outline of the master plan of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an. Notable experts in attendance included Lv Renyi, Professor at the Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology; Wang Jing, Chairman of Yunnan Expo Tourism Holdings, Ltd, a leading organizer of the International Horticultural Exposition 1999; Fan Zhimin, Professor at Northwest A&F University; Liu Yuchun, President of the Northwest Institute of Forest Inventory, Planning and Design of the Ministry of the Chinese State Forestry Administration; Zheng Wei, Chief Planner of the International Horticultural Exposition 2006; Duan Mushan, Deputy Director of the China Research Center of Landscape Architectural Design and Planning; Wu Nong, Professor of Northwestern Polytechnical University; and Wang Wenjia, Chief Designer of Chuanjia Architectural Design and Planning Company.

On July 9, the 1000-day countdown to the start of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, AIPH President Dr. Doeke Faber, AIPH Vice President Shinya WATA, leaders from the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District such as Wang Jun and Yang Liuqi as well as the distinguished guests of all circles were all present at the launch ceremony. The grand ceremony to celebrate the 1000-day countdown to the start of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an and the launch ceremony of "Emblem, Song and Mascot for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Global Collection Activity" was held in the Kempinski Hotel at the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an.

From October 26 to 31, the delegation led by Dong Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Xi'an Municipal People's Government participated in the AIPH Annual Meeting held in Dubai, UAE at the invitation of the AIPH and the Provincial Government of Istanbul, Turkey. The delegation visited Mr. Zu Caligula'nın, the Vice Governor of Istanbul Province, and discussed the participation invitation work with representatives from horticultural organizations from over 20 countries. Before the annual meeting, Dong Jun met with AIPH President Dr. Doeke Faber and passed along Mayor Chen Baogen's holographic letter of congratulations. On the morning of October 31, at the seat of the Municipal Government of Istanbul, the delegation presented the Mayor of Istanbul with an official International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Invitation Letter.

On December 20, John Howkins, known as "Father of the Creative Industry", paid a visit to the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an and assumed the position of Creative Consultant for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an.

2009

On April 7, 2009, the first signing ceremony for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was held. The contract signing for eight construction projects including the Canada Garden, Horticultural Therapy Garden (Japan), Korean Garden, New Zealand Garden, Space Plant Garden, Insect Pavilion, Wonder Stone Pavilion and Swan Rare Bird Garden symbolized the great progress that the construction of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an has made thus far.

On April 10, 2009, the landscape planning for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an designer by Mr. KOBAYASHI HARUTO, a famous landscape designer from Japan and the Chief Designer of ATLAS passed its review.

On August 15, the promotional slogan for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was decided upon. The Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China held an expert review meeting to determine the slogan for the Exposition and selected 20 of the best entries from over 12000 entries. The final review will soon be carried out to determine the promotional slogan of the Exposition, which will be announced during a press briefing.

On the morning of September 8, the commencement ceremony for the "Four Main Building for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an" was held at the site of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. The leaders from the Commission of Baqiao District of Xi'an, the Baqiao District Government, the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District, the Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China, Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition Investment (Group) Co., Ltd and China State Construction Engineering Corp. attended and cut the ribbon at the commencement ceremony.

In early September, the results of the "Emblem for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an Global Collection Activity" were announced.

On the afternoon of October 20, Vice Chairman Wang Gang assumed the position of Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. Wang Gang, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference listened to reports in Zhongnanhai regarding Xi’an’s economic development and urban construction and the preparatory work for the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition and Chan-Ba Ecological District from Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mr. Wang Jun. Wang agreed to become the Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, and stated, "I will give further support to the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition after assuming the position of honorary chairman. Please let me know if you need my assistance in solving any problems in the preparatory stage. "

2010

On March 1, the steel structure of the Theme Pavilion, which is one of the four main buildings for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an, was hoisted. Its hoisting marks that the construction for the Exposition has entered an accelerated phase. On March 28, the specific time for the opening and closing ceremony of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was determined. From March 24 to 28, the AIPH Annual Spring Meeting was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The meeting decided upon the duration for the Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition: April 28, 2011 to October 22, 2011.

In April, the results of the Name Collection Prize Contest for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China (referred to as "Xi'an Int'l Horticultural Expo 2011") Scenic Spots were disclosed, and the names of ten buildings and lakes were announced.

On the morning of May 29, the total package program for the interior decoration and exhibition of the Theme Pavilion was determined. The Preparatory Office of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an held the review meeting concerning this program. Yang Liuqi, Yao Jingfang, Yang Xijun and other leaders were present during the meeting. Nanba Tetsuaki，the chief planning consultant of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition, and other heads representing relevant departments of the Preparatory Office also attended the meeting.

On the morning of June 3, the primary constructions of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an were successfully completed and the grand roof-sealing ceremony was held at the working site of the Chang’an Tower. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Dong Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Xi'an, Wang Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Secretary of CPC Working Committee of Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District, Yang Dianzhong, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Secretary-General of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Huang Haiqing, Vice Mayor of Xi’an, Wu Hui, Secretary-General of Xi'an Municipal Government and other leaders as well as Zhang Jinqiu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, were present at the ceremony. Leading members of the Baqiao District, the Chan-Ba Ecological District and other departments concerned at the municipal level also attended the ceremony.

On the morning of June 17, the Organizing Committee of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an held its first meeting in Beijing, listened to reports regarding the preparatory work for construction of the International Horticultural Exposition and studied and deployed the work in the next phase for the committee. The meeting marked an important turning point in the preparatory work for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an and showed that “Xi'an’s International Horticultural Exposition” had already transformed into an “International Horticultural Exposition for the whole country”. Wang Gang, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an attended the meeting and gave an important speech. Jia Zhibang, Minister of the Chinese State Forestry Administration, Wan Jifei, Chairman of CCPIT and Jiang Zehui, Chairman of the China Flower Association also gave speeches, while Zhao Zhengyong, Deputy Secretary of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Acting Governor of Shaanxi Province presided over the meeting. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee reported on the preparations for the construction of the International Horticultural Exposition and the work required for the next step. Zhu Lieke, Vice Minister of the State Forestry Administration, Yao Yinliang, Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province, and Chen Baogen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee and Mayor of Xi’an, all attended the meeting.

From July 1 to December 31, promotional films for Xi’an and the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition will be broadcast on CCTV. With the first rays of morning sunshine, a nationwide audience can get a glimpse of Xi’an’s ancient charm as well as its brand new look.

On July 2, the launch ceremony for the 300-day countdown to the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an was held in Xi’an. At midnight, nearly a hundred university students celebrated the ceremony at the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda. The launch ceremony for the 300-day countdown to the opening ceremony of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition was held in the Auditorium of the Xi'an Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. Chen Baogen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi’an Municipal Committee, Mayor of Xi’an, Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition made an important speech and unveiled the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an 300-day countdown billboard with Cheng Qunli, Chairman of the Xi'an People's Political Consultative Conference. Wang Chengwen, Deputy Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, presided over the meeting.

On July 2, Xi’an held a citywide mobilization meeting for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an.

On the morning of July 4, in Xi’an’s Weihui Park, 523 private cars formed the pattern of the Chang’an Flower, the emblem of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition. The total pattern area reached 120,000 square meters. A certification official from Guinness World Records was on the scene and certified that pattern had successfully challenged the record for a single car pattern in terms of the numbers of cars involved and the coverage area. The pattern broke the world record and became the largest car pattern with the most number of cars involved. The certifying official issued the certification to the organizer. The CCTV program “Zhengda Variety Show •Guinness World Records-Night of China” recorded the entire activity and will broadcast it in the near future.

At 10 a.m. on July 16, a press conference regarding the ticketing operations of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an and the Exposition Partners Signing Ceremony were held in the Kempinski Hotel at the Chan-Ba Ecological District, Xi'an. Wang Jun, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, and Secretary of CPC Working Committee of the Xi'an Chan-Ba Ecological District, Huang Haiqing, Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and Vice Mayor of Xi’an, and Yang Liuqi, Ad Hoc Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition, Director of the Preparatory Office of Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition and Director of the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District were all present during this press conference. The sponsor announced to the public the exposition ticket plan and displayed a sample of the ticket. Dozens of representatives from notable domestic enterprises appeared at the press conference including Zhang Shucang, Deputy General Manager of China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation, Zhang Xu, President of China Golddeal Investment Co., Ltd., Dong Bo, Service Director of China Eastern, Zhang Xiao, Deputy Director of Shaanxi TV, Wang Jianmin, Deputy General Manager of China Eastern Northwest Branch, Wei Zhilin, General Manager of the Service Quality Control Department of China Eastern, and Hu Zhongwei, Deputy Chief Economist of China Eastern Northwest Branch. They signed global partnership agreements with the sponsor, senior sponsor, supplier or ticket agent. Dong Bo, Service Director of China Eastern, and Zhang Xu, President of China Golddeal Investment Co., Ltd. each delivered speeches at the Exposition Partners Signing Ceremony.

On July 16 at the Baqiao District, a security kick-off ceremony of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi’an was held, which marked the official launch of the exposition security work. The Baqiao District has input 20, 000 professional security guards and purchased professional equipment worth RMB 4.50 million. Network patrol will be adopted to guarantee a “safe International Horticultural Exposition”.

On July 24, the recipients of the Jin Haitun (Golden Dolphin) Award, an award for exhibitions in China equivalent to the Academy Award for film, were formally announced. The Chan-Ba Ecological District in Xi’an, the site of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition, was listed among “China Top 10 Popular Meeting Destinations 2009-2010”. Yang Liuqi, Ad Hoc Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticulture Exposition and Director of the Management Committee of Chan-Ba Ecological District, was honored as “2009 Person of the Year for Exhibitions in China” together with nine other individuals.

On August 11, the Publicity Group of the Executive Committee of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition invited Immersive Environment Co., Ltd (IECL), CyberClassics, CRYSTAL CG- the contracted operator of the Expo 2010 Shanghai China Online to meet to discuss the plan for International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China Online. Xu Junqian, Deputy Director of the Preparatory Office of Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition and other related leaders also attended the meeting.

On August 16, the Xi’an Cultural Day of the Expo Shanghai 2010 and the Daming Palace Week- an event with the theme of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition joining hands with the World Expo Shanghai was celebrated at the Shanghai Expo site. Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Shaanxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Yang Dianzhong, Secretary-General of the CPC Xi'an Municipal Committee, Duan Xiannian, Vice Mayor of Xi'an, Zhao Wen, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Ding Hao, Deputy Director General of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo, Dr. Awni Behnam, UN Commissioner General, Sun Liansheng, Director of 2010 Expo Urban Best Practice Area and several National Pavilion directors attended the event. Actress Yan Ni, a native of Xi’an, is the image ambassador of the Xi’an International Horticultural Exposition. She provided a brilliant introduction and glowing recommendation for the exposition to the audience in attendance.

On the morning of August 23, a discussion meeting regarding online media cooperation for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an was held at the Xi’an Chan-Ba Urban Square. Sina, Tianya Club, Huashang, and Xi’an QQ.com all sent representatives to this meeting to discuss online publicity for the exposition.

On August 25, Eva, the chief designer of Plasma and global leader of Landscape Urbanism, arrived at the site of the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an. She was interviewed by Xinhua News Agency and Phoenix Satellite TV, during which she discussed her design concepts and experience. During the interview, she also expressed her high expectations for the International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an.

Categories of the Expo

Organizations: BIE, AIPH

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