Dialogue between Citizens and Leaders: Zhou Jianping Talking about Beijing Expo 2019

On January 12, 2019, the “Dialogue between Citizens and Leaders” TV interview during the annual Two Sessions of Beijing kicked off. Zhou Jianping, executive director general of Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau (BIHECB), arrived at the studio and elaborated on the preparation, highlights, hot issues, ticketing and other affairs concerning Beijing Expo 2019 to the audience. Zhou said that the general construction of the Expo Site has been close to an end. This year, Beijing Expo 2019 will invite visitors from both home and abroad to “visit the garden of gardens, enjoy a feast of cultures, read a botanical encyclopedia, have an ecological class and sharing smart experience together,” according to Zhou. 

The construction project of Beijing Expo 2019 is close to an end

Zhou noted that the construction of the Expo Site has been almost finished and particularly, the China Pavilion, the International Pavilion, the Life Experience Pavilion and the Botanic Pavilion have begun exhibition preparation. Conditions for exhibition have already matured, and the exhibition preparation team has already entered an early stage of preparation. Moreover, infrastructure and supporting service facilities have been basically completed. 

The solicitation of international exhibitors has also come to an end. As early as the biding period, Beijing Expo 2019 had set the goal of soliciting at least 100 domestic exhibitors and 100 international exhibitors. To date, 110 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the Expo, making the event a platform for extensive international exchange and cooperation in the field of horticulture. In addition, the construction of the gardens of Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions is proceeding well, most of which have completed 80 percent of their construction project. International exhibitors plan to build 40 outdoor gardens. So far, the gardens of 36 countries have begun construction, and four another are in the stage of early preparation. 

Five Highlights of Beijing Expo 2019 

During the TV interview, Zhou introduced the characteristics and highlights of Beijing Expo 2019. 

First, visiting the garden of gardens together. The Expo Site gathers more than 100 distinctive horticultural gardens, including gardens built by foreign countries and international organizations, gardens of Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, corporate gardens, specialized gardens, fruit gardens, vegetable gardens, and herbal gardens. There, visitors can not only experience exotic flavor, but also enjoy artistic appeal of garden plants from around China—from the southernmost to the northernmost tip of its territory. 

Second, enjoying a feast of cultures together. Beijing Expo 2019 will hold more than 2,500 activities, changing the situation in which static views are more than interactions and sightseeing overweighs participation. Thus, more visitors will be able to experience horticultural cultures while enjoying the beautiful landscapes endowed by Mother Nature. 

Third, reading a botanical encyclopedia together. Beijing Expo 2019 will exhibit 1,200 species of plants. As a horticultural exhibition, the Expo should make plants its leading roles. Plants bridge man and nature. The power and wisdom of plants, the contributions made by plants to mankind, and all sorts of material, cultural and spiritual experiences brought by plants to us are fully demonstrated at the Expo. Moreover, the documentary Chinese Plants that Change the World showcases how plants native to China went abroad and changed the world, thus enabling viewers to understand the great contributions made by Chinese plants to the planet. 

Fourth, having an ecological class together. When it was planned, Beijing Expo 2019 already put forward the principle of “prioritizing ecological conservation.” The principle has been followed throughout the whole process from planning, design, construction and operation to post-Expo utilization. The principle of “prioritizing ecological conservation” has been put into practice in various aspects: The Expo preserves nearly 50,000 original trees, and plants another 50,000 trees and 120,000 shrubs. Considering that the Expo Site is on a migratory route of birds, its constructors particularly renovated a wetland. Today, the Expo Site is rich in fishes, birds and amphibians. Practical examples prioritizing ecological conservation can be found everywhere in the Expo Site. 

Fifth, sharing smart experience. Beijing Expo 2019 will fully demonstrate innovated application of the new 5G technology in areas like remote medical care, self-driving, automated logistics and drones. At the Expo, visitors will have the chance to enjoy high-quality services provided by robotic tour guides, baristas and cleaners. The Expo will serve as a stage to display the possibilities of cutting-edge technologies changing daily life and ecology. 

A Plethora of Supporting Measures

Zhou also expounded how to ensure tourists have a comfortable experience from four perspectives:

First, addressing overcrowding. The Expo Site has six entrances, which facilitate visitors to enter from different directions. Moreover, visitors can book tickets via their cell phones based on real-time information broadcast. 

Second, avoiding fatigue. The Expo Site has seats for 15,000 people to take a rest at the same time. While preserving many original trees, the Expo planted a number of plants, providing enough shades for visitors to escape direct sunshine. Moreover, BIHECB designed a recreational belt for tourists to enjoy the beauty of landscapes in Yanqing District. 

Third, avoiding long queues. Through ticket booking and information upgrading, the Expo can balance flows of visitors to different gardens and exhibition areas. In addition, WIFI signals are available in the Expo Site. 

Fourth, addressing the insufficiency of restaurants. The Expo Site is scattered with many restaurants that provide catering services. So far, 17 catering enterprises have confirmed to settle in the Expo Site. They will provide convenient and safe catering services in the principle of “making fast foods as the mainstay and formal meals as the supplementary and combining Chinese and Western foods.”

In terms of transportation, relevant government departments of Beijing have formed a team to guarantee transport services for the Expo. Various measures will be taken to meet the demand for transport for visitors shuttling between the downtown to the Expo Site, with priority on green and public transportation. In addition, the number of trains shuttling along Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway has been increased to 16 pairs per day. At the end of 2018, the Beijing-Chongli Expressway opened to traffic, providing another convenient choice for travelers shuttling between the two places. 

“Shared, People-Benefiting, Convenient and Safe Ticketing” Policy 

Beijing Expo 2019 formulated a ticketing policy in the principle of being “shared, people-benefiting, convenient and safe.” Through a series of service measures, the Expo enables tourists to purchase tickets conveniently and enjoy a comfortable, safe tour. 

The tickets of Beijing Expo 2019 are categorized into standard day ticket, designated day ticket, three-visit ticket and through ticket. Meanwhile, discounted tickets and group tickets are available to special groups of people, respectively. In addition, overnight tickets are provided to meet the demand of tourists who stay overnight in Yanqing, thus enabling tourists to gain a multi-dimensional feeling at the Expo, avoiding overcrowding and having a better travel experience. Tourists who enter the Expo Site after 4 p.m. will be eligible to revisit the Expo for free the next day, unless the first day is open to standard day ticket holders and the second day open only to designated day ticket holders. 

Beijing Expo 2019 encourages tourists to purchase tickets in advance and organized visits. Tourists who buy advance tickets will enjoy a 10% discount. Ticket booking is available throughout the Expo, with an aim to enhance tourists’ experience and safety. 

Boosting Future Industrial Development

The Expo Site covers a total area of 503 hectares. By the time when Beijing bid for the Expo, the local government had taken into consideration of the stimulating effect of the Beijing Expo 2019 for regional development, which was one purpose to bid for the Expo. Zhou noted that the Expo is supposed to “prosper the city and its industry.” That means it is expected to stimulate local industrial growth and economic and social development, and expand the host city’s influence. The Expo Site is located in Yanqing District, in hopes that the district will comprehensively upgrade its infrastructure by hosting the Expo. The subsequent use of the Expo Site shall be considered from the following perspectives:

First, it will become an ideal recreational destination. After the end of Beijing Expo 2019, some appropriate pavilions including public spaces will be preserved to meet citizens’ aspirations for a beautiful living environment. The Expo Site will serve as a key component of the complete tourist belt in northwestern Beijing. 

Second, it will serve and support the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. 

Third, the future industrial development of the Expo Site will become an important part of its subsequent utilization, with horticulture and tourism as the pillars.