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February 10, 2021

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Home » District » Chongming

100 days to‘Blossom with a Chinese Dream’

By Wu Ruofan | 00:00 UTC+8 February 10, 2021 | Print Edition

In just 100 days, the 10th China Flower Expo will be in full bloom on Chongming Island under the theme of “Blossom with a Chinese Dream.”

During an online countdown ceremony held on Tuesday in Shanghai and Beijing, the theme song “Blossom with a Chinese Dream,” volunteer logo “Little Egret” and ticket design were revealed.

Chongming District, the nation’s third-largest island, seeks to create a world-class ecological system through the expo.

At the city’s Two Sessions last month Chongming government revealed they are striving to develop a “forest island on the sea” as a way to contribute to the world economy and help promote a cleaner, greener environment.

The island will facilitate the development of a “Shanghai Flower Port” to create a flower industrial chain in terms of research, production and distribution.

Tourism, health care, medical care, education and sports events will also be promoted.

“We need to seize the opportunity of the expo to make friends, develop business, create scenery and benefit the people, which can vigorously promote Chongming’s economic and social development,” said Li Zheng, Party secretary of Chongming.

“With green water and green mountains, people can truly improve their happiness,” added Miao Jing, director of Chongming. “Chongming starts with water systems, farmland, woodland, animals and plants, and will exert its ecological advantage to lay a solid foundation for development.”

Emphasizing implementation of “ecology+” development strategy, Miao said that Chongming will become a model in the Yangtze River Delta area in terms of environmental protection with no excessive development.

Floral industry development

Founded in 1987, the China Flower Expo is the largest, highest-level and most influential national flower event — it is also known as the “Olympics of China’s flower industry.”

After the successful expo bid in 2018, the island has boosted its modern floral industry, rural development, infrastructure enhancement and tourism.

For example, one key Chongming flower project, Shanghai Zhonghe Tulip Industrial Base, located in Hongqiao Village, will become a hi-tech floral planting area and tourist destination. Covering 72,000 square meters, with an estimated investment of 55 million yuan (US$8.5 million), the project will showcase flower bulb production technology in cooperation with the Netherlands.

A tulip can bloom within 21 days in an area of 1 square meter and more than 3 million seedlings have been planted.

The base will be open to the public from March 1, providing accommodation, food and recreation for visitors.

Shi Hao, a local daffodil businessman, said he is looking forward to sharing and cooperating with others at the expo.

“We look forward to in-depth communication with our domestic and international counterparts, which can benefit the local agronomy and nurture the talent,” said Shi. With a total exhibition area of about 36 square kilometers, the 10th expo will take place at Chongming Dongping National Forest Park from May 21 to July 2.

The area, divided into north and south parks, includes main exhibition gardens, a forest park development area and a supporting service area.

“Flower island” vision

The three areas feature one core, one axis, six pavilions and six gardens. The core area is a paradise of butterflies and Chinese peony, while the axis is the main flower avenue. Six pavilions will have five subsidiary ones surrounding a main one, while the six gardens feature magnolia, plum, chrysanthemum, orchid, lotus and bamboo.

In the future, the expo garden, including three indoor pavilions, will remain permanent fixtures to showcase the “flower island” vision.

The expo has attracted over 20 first-tier floral firms from home and abroad, as well as 10 world-leading garden designers and big companies as sponsors.

Twelve sister cities of Shanghai will attend the event and set up their own pavilions, while 30 citizens from the Yangtze Delta will take part in the “citizen garden” session.

The expo’s construction has entered the final stage, with most of the pavilions and public greeneries almost completed.

Over 1,000 workers will stay on the island for the upcoming Spring Festival.

Wang Zhaowei from Northeast China’s Jilin Province, said though he won’t spend the holiday with his family, he feels lucky to work in Chongming.

“It is extremely cold in winter back in my hometown, which makes it hard to find a job,” said Wang. “Chongming is a beautiful place to work in.”

Tuo Dejiang, head of team for laying the tiles, confessed it will be the first time he won’t be at home for the holiday in Pengshui, Chongqing, in southwest China.

“In my hometown, every family would share their dishes during the festival,” said Tuo. “This year, I plan to cook a feast together with my colleagues.”

The building of hotels and homestays is also underway, while the expo’s official website and online store are already in operation.

The venue will have a test run by the end of March. The flower exhibitions will be initiated at the same time and the security management, transportation, tourist and volunteer services will be introduced as well.

Chongming


 

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