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Flower haven set to bloom
2020-08-07 
An aerial view of farmland in Chengqiao township on Chongming Island. The island district of Shanghai will host the 2021 China Flower Expo. LI JUN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Li Jiaqi, a popular livestreaming personality in China, is best known for selling lipstick on e-commerce platforms, but on July 25, he published a special video to promote something entirely different-Shanghai's Chongming Island, the host venue of the 10th China Flower Expo.

The 30-second video was published to mark the 300-day countdown to the expo, which will be held from May 21 to July 2 next year.

First launched in 1987, the China Flower Expo was held in Beijing for the first editions before the host venue was rotated among other cities every four years.

For the latest edition, Shanghai is aiming to promote Chongming Island's vibrant flower industry and flower-themed tourism as part of the municipal government's master plan (2017-35) to transform the island into a world-class ecological zone.

The construction of the expo venue, which is located at the heart of the island and next to Dongping National Forest Park, is currently underway, according to the expo organizing committee.

Endangered black-faced spoonbills are seen at Dongtan wetland on the eastern coast of Chongming Island. ZHANG BIN/FOR CHINA DAILY

The expo venue will cover 10 square kilometers, with the main area consisting of a peony-shaped flower field, six pavilions and six gardens for different flowers, such as plum blossoms, orchids, lotuses and chrysanthemums.

Structural construction of the 34,000-square-meter main pavilion, called Fuxing, or rejuvenation, has already been completed and the planting of trees and flowers in the area will begin in September.

"It will be the first expo to be hosted on an island, in the countryside and surrounded by forests," Li Zheng, governor of Chongming district, says.

Formed by silt brought down by the Yangtze River, Chongming became a part of Shanghai in 1958, when eight collective farms were founded one after another to supply food for the city.

Apart from supplying crops and vegetables for the city, the island has gradually become a getaway for people in nearby cities to seek respite from the hustle and bustle of city life because of its lush scenery and fresh air.

The island's excellent air quality is due to its forest coverage rate of 26 percent and natural wetland coverage of 38 percent.

Gu Haoming, who lives in Kunshan of Jiangsu province, says he drives his family to Chongming for a short getaway every two to three months.

"I enjoyed my visit to the Dongtan wetland in October. The large swathes of reeds and the birds hovering and swimming there have left a deep impression on me," he says.

Located at the eastern end of the island, the Dongtan wetland is a natural reserve for migratory birds during winter.

"It took a little more than two hours to drive from Kunshan to Chongming-it's perfect for weekend trips. I'd definitely come for the flower expo with my family next year," Gu says.

The influx of weekend tourists such as Gu has fueled a burgeoning bed-and-breakfast industry on the island in recent years, according to Chongming locals.

Chongming Smart Ecological Conservatory covers 20 hectares in Chongming's Gangyan township. WU XIONG/FOR CHINA DAILY

The flower expo organizing committee estimates that the event will attract 3 million visitors who are expected to stay at least a night or two.

Liu Qing, the owner of a bed-and-breakfast property called Zhigu 1984, says: "The advantage of the island as a perfect retreat destination is that it's so near to downtown Shanghai."

Born and raised on Chongming, Liu went on to work in advertising firms located in downtown Shanghai in 1998. In 2016, after sensing that weekend retreats were a booming industry segment, he returned to his hometown and turned his family's old house into a bed-and-breakfast.

In October, Liu founded a Chongming guesthouse association which has 58 members.

"There is a gap between the demand and supply of catering services on Chongming, and this will be intensified by the flower expo. The association aims to enhance communication between the industry and the local government," Liu says.

Besides promoting the regulated development of the catering and guesthouse sector, the district government has launched a project called "Flower Expo Family", which encourages Chongming residents to renovate and lease their homes to visitors during the expo.

Zhu Hongxing, who has been living on Chongming Island his whole life, says he has witnessed enormous change in the island over the past decade.

"The environment used to be dirty and disorderly, but the villages now have all been renovated. The streets are also cleaner," says the 63-year-old.

"The government has encouraged us to plant flowers in our homes for next year's expo, and I'm happy to do so. As a resident of Chongming, we are the hosts and should build a better environment to welcome the guests."

Gu Yuhan contributed to the story.

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