15th CEFCO Kicks Off in Boao, Showing the World Beijing Expo’s Four Commitments

On January 10, 2019, the 15th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO 2019), themed “Create the Future Together,” kicked off in Boao, southern China’s Hainan Province. Mao Wanchun, chairman of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Lu Pengqi, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Tom Cindric, chairperson of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), and Fan Shijie, vice director of the Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, addressed the opening ceremony of the forum. Feng Yaoxiang, director of the Department for Trade and Investment Promotion under CCPIT, presided over the opening ceremony. 

That afternoon, the forum held a plenary meeting themed “New Times, New Missions.” Amid unfavorable factors such as rising uncertainties in the world economy, sluggish growth of global trade, and challenges faced by the multilateral trading mechanism, the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry has become important drivers for economic and trade development. With an enterprising spirit, practitioners of the industry are committed to turning risks into opportunities, consistently strengthening their service functions, and making contributions to promoting global economic and trade growth. The plenary meeting was presided over by Hu Fan, chief representative of CCPIT in Canada. Kai Hattendorf, managing director of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), Irene Lau Kuan-va, executive director of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Walter M. S. Yeh, secretary general of Taiwan Trade Center and president of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations, Li Zhijie, chairman of Henan Provincial Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Feng Yaoxiang, director of the Department for Trade and Investment Promotion under CCPIT delivered speeches at the meeting. 

At the plenary meeting of CEFCO 2019, which is themed “New Times, New Missions.”

At the plenary meeting, Director Feng Yaoxiang delivered a speech titled “New Commitments of Beijing Expo 2019,” in which he elaborated on the four new commitments of the Expo: 

First, pressing ahead with vigorous practices in promoting the Beautiful China initiative. A pageant with plants as leading roles, Beijing Expo 2019 upholds the concept of “putting ecological protection first and learning from nature” and highlights the characteristics of green ecology by centering on the goal of building a pioneering demonstration zone for ecological civilization and a display area of the Beautiful China initiative. Through joint efforts by the organizer and participants, the Expo is expected to spread the awareness that harmonious coexistence and common development of man and nature are the substantial foundation for building a beautiful home for humankind, inspire people to change their lifestyles, and enable respecting, adapting to and protecting nature to become people’s innate thoughts and conscious actions, thus making contributions to the building of an ecological civilization. 

Second, promoting high-quality development of the horticultural and gardening industry. As an international event representing the highest level of horticultural development, Beijing Expo 2019 will showcase the latest horticultural species, technologies, ideas and achievements from around China and the world at large. Doubtlessly, it provides a significant opportunity for global horticultural and gardening exchange and cooperation to push forward the robust development of international horticulture. 

Third, building a comprehensive platform for international exchange and cooperation. So far, 86 countries and 24 international organizations including the UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have confirmed to participate in Beijing Expo 2019, a record high for an A1-Class Expo in terms of international participants. The Expo will last for 162 days, during which more than 2,500 colorful activities will be held aside horticultural and gardening exhibitions. It will provide a comprehensive platform for countries around the world to conduct all-round exchange and cooperation across various realms, which features “new sub-themes every month, communication events every week, exhibitions every day, and interactions anytime.”

Fourth, creating an important opportunity for integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. For a long time, it has been widely recognized that large-scale international events can serve as important driving forces for the host countries’ economic and social development and bring opportunities for a new round of regional economic takeoff. Hosting Beijing Expo 2019 will inject impetus into the development of Beijing’s green economy, science, technology, culture, tourism and other sectors, speed up the pace of transportation and infrastructure construction in northern Beijing, directly benefit local exhibition industry, horticultural industry, cultural industry and relevant supporting service industries, advance regional joint action mechanism and rational allocation of industrial resources, and accelerate the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. 

The forum, sponsored by CCPIT, UFI, IAEE and the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and organized by China Chamber of International Commerce, the People’s Government of Qionghai City and CCPIT Hainan Branch, went through January 12. Leaders from those sponsoring institutions, as well as more than 700 representatives of the conference and exhibition industry from over 20 countries around the world, attended the event to share their foresighted, innovative and internationalized insights, exchange experiences and cooperative results concerning the MICE industry, and present advice for future development of the industry. Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau also sent representatives to attend this forum, in hopes of further publicizing Beijing Expo 2019 via the international specialized platform.