City ready to host international landscape event

The 2013 World Landscape Art Exposition, scheduled to be held in Jinzhou - a third-tier city in Liaoning province - will gather worldwide design companies, artists and about 10 million visitors, the host city's Party chief said.

Wang Wenquan, the Party secretary of Jinzhou and a delegate to the 18th Party Congress, said 200 million yuan ($32 million) will be spent to develop a park for the expo, which will open from May 1 to Oct 31, 2013. The investment covers the construction of buildings and the treatment of saline-alkali soil, as the park is located on waste saltpan or mudflats.

The total expenditure of the expo is not disclosed. The event, jointly supported by the Association of International Horticultural Producers and the International Federation of Landscape Architects, will be based on the theme of "the city and the sea, a future in harmony".

"It's the first time that the two international organizations have worked together on an expo event," Wang said on the sidelines of the Party congress.

Located in the city's Longqi Bay, the expo park will cover about 7 sq km, with 3.3 sq km on the land and the rest on the sea.

Wang said the expo will serve as a huge development platform for the coastal city.

The fourth mainland city to host the event of its kind after Kunming, Shenyang and Xi'an, Jinzhou pins high hopes on the fair to boost its international fame and shift from its heavy economic reliance on chemical and harbor industries.

The event will focus on the city's oceanic characteristics and promote a harmonious human-marine culture.

It will feature a seaside horticultural park adapted from saline and alkaline beaches and abandoned shrimp ponds.

The expo's main site will be divided into six sections and presents 20 world-class gardens designed by a selected group of international landscape architects.

A science and creative marine museum, a waterscape park and a flower belt will also be added to it.

Each of Liaoning's 14 cities will build their own exhibition hall.

According to Wang, it may be a challenge for the small city with 3.1 million population to accommodate an estimated 10 million tourists during the six months.

Thus, the city is building more new hotels and restaurants.

Despite challenges such as the city's lack of experience in hosting international events, the Party chief said the event will bring long-term benefits to Jinzhou.

"Such a high-level exposition will be a platform for us to enhance Jinzhou's openness and reputation internationally," Wang said.

"Its benefits will be far greater than the expenditure," said Wang, adding that the land price around the park has already quadrupled since construction started.

Wang also said the event will help decentralize the city's residents, who mainly dwelled in the old city area which is too crowded.

The infrastructure upgrading and expansion of urban area accompanied with the construction of the expo park are expected to boost coastal economy.

"As tourist arrivals increase in the future, it will bring about other social and economic benefits," Wang said.

After the fair, the park's main buildings will be transformed into a city park, which will attract more residents and businesses to the newly developed area.

liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn