When the 8th China Flower Expo came to an end on Oct 27, in the city of Changzhou, Jiangsu province, Shanxi province won three gold medals for its outdoor exhibition, indoor exhibition, and organization. This made it one of the top five provinces in the country with its comprehensive strength.

The flower expo, starting in 1987, is held every four years and is a national-level event that draws a wide influence. This year the expo began on Sept 28, and lasted for one month.

The Shanxi exhibition area is made up of two parts: a 2,200-square-meter outdoor pavilion and a 300-square-meter indoor pavilion. An executive committee member of the event said that among the 2.7 million visitors at home and abroad who came to the expo, 80 percent of them had paid a visit to the Shanxi exhibition area.

The Shanxi provincial government put much importance on attending the expo, and Yao Wenda, who was responsible for the Shanxi exhibition group, said during the recent years, the flower industry of Shanxi province has achieved a great transformation. Last year, the whole province produced a total of 25.08 million fresh cut flowers, 42.83 million pots of potted flowers, and 19.18 plants of ornamentals, with a total value of 702 million yuan, Yao added.

Edited by Nigel Moffiet