Expo bridges diverse cultures along B&R route

Event set to return to Yunnan in 2018, enhancing relations among regions

Four-time host of the China-South Asia Expo, Yunnan province in Southwest China is a bridge of economic and cultural exchanges for China, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The fifth China-South Asia Expo will be held from next June 12 to 18 in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, with the themes of integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative and promoting the win-win cooperation.

Yunnan, one of provinces with the longest histories of opening-up in China, used to sit along the Silk Road and the Ancient Tea Horse Road, two famous ancient trade routes.

Under the modern-day Belt and Road Initiative, the province has become the intersection of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, playing a more important role in opening-up.

Hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan government, the China-South Asia Expo has attracted thousands of guests in past years, with ever-growing scale and content.

A senior official said that Yunnan is enhancing economic and trade cooperation with South Asia and other neighboring countries.

Government officials said: "The China-South Asia Expo is not only an important carrier and platform to strengthen commerce cooperation and cultural communication between China and South Asia and Southeast Asia. Expo bridges diverse cultures along B&R route
"It also integrates China's Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen political communication, capital flows and industrial integration along the countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative." According to the Yunnan government, next year's expo will cover 190,000 square meters with 19 pavilions and 8,500 exhibition spaces, including the South Asia Pavilion, Southeast Asia Pavilion, Overseas Pavilion, Tourism Pavilion, Cultural and Creative Industry Pavilion. It will also host the China-South Asia Business Forum and a think tank summit during the expo.

The last China-South Asia Expo, held from June 12 to 17 last year, attracted 2,076 foreign guests from 89 countries and regions, including the Maldives, Vietnam, Nepal, Cambodia and Laos, and 6,339 Chinese guests from 29 provinces. During the last expo, domestic investors launched 495 projects worth 861.19 billion yuan ($130.1 billion), an increase of 18.7 percent compared to the third China-South Asia Expo. Investment in foreign-funded projects reached 62.2 billion yuan.

In addition, countries signed contracts for export and imports totaling 79.10 billion yuan. Foreign investment projects hit 16.80 billion yuan in total value and sales of exhibition products reached 338 million yuan, a steady increase year-on-year.

Arjun Thapa, former secretary-general of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, said: "The members of SAARC had attended the fourth China-South Asia Expo, which showed its importance and South Asian countries' desire to work with China."

The China-South Asia Expo has attracted thousands of guests in past years, with ever-growing scale. Photos Provided to China Daily