Touted as one of China's most influential exhibitions, the West Lake International Expo will take place from Oct 16 to Nov 6 in Hangzhou, a city with such beautiful scenery that is billed as "paradise on earth".

The event encompasses more than 100 exhibitions, trade fairs, seminars and entertainment shows promoting international exchange.

Organizing committee members will work with the World Tourism Organization, World Leisure and Recreation Association and several embassies in Shanghai.

Planned activities include an Asian Pacific folk arts exchange, international music festival, international fine arts symposium and a marathon.

The world foundry congress, the international industrial expo and the world conference on pharmacology of natural and traditional medicines are all set to take place during the expo.

Prompted by local authorities, the organizing committee has arranged a series of forums centered on information technology.

The expo will also host a world online commercial conference, the electric information industry expo, China's online advertising industry congress and China's online retail summit.

Cultural activities include a temple fair, dragon boat festival and folk artisan festival.

West Lake Expo organizers expect the event will drive economic development, benefitting not just Hangzhou, but also neighboring cities.

By Han Tianyang

(China Daily 09/27/2010 page22)