The International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 Chengdu kicked off on Friday in Chengdu, Sichuan province, bringing the beauty and wonder of plants and flowers to millions.

Under the theme "park city, beautiful habitat", the expo will showcase a diverse range of plants, flowers and gardening styles from around the world in 113 gardens at the main venue in the Chengdu Eastern New Area, as well as in four sub-venues.

In a speech at the opening ceremony, Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng stressed the importance of countries strengthening dialogue and cooperation in the field of ecological civilization.

"The world is still facing global environmental issues such as climate change and biodiversity conservation, and achieving the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals remains a daunting task," he said.

He suggested that countries around the world should join hands and work together to map out the strategies for governance and responses, improve the environmental governance system, and explore and develop solutions for sustainable development.

Han said China will work with all parties to uphold a vision of global governance featuring shared growth through discussion and collaboration. "I hope the green development philosophy promoted by Expo 2024 Chengdu will serve as a motivation for us to create a better future," he said.

Leonardo Capitanio, president of the International Association of Horticultural Producers, said at the opening ceremony that the expo will highlight the importance of green city, ecological development and the role of plants in redefining livable cities.

"Visitors to the expo will see for themselves why plants matter as they immerse themselves in the horticultural wonders from all over the world," he said.

"We live in a world that is facing many challenges, not least the battle against climate change. AIPH firmly believes that horticulture will play an increasingly important role in enabling cities to adapt to changing climates, as well as improving the health and well-being of citizens," he said.

Capitanio said the Chengdu expo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and he strongly urged everyone to go to Chengdu and see for themselves.

Wang Fengchao, mayor of Chengdu, said the city is fully geared to present a high-quality horticultural celebration with "features of the times, international standards, elements of China and characteristics of Chengdu".

Adhering to the philosophy of "green and low-carbon, economical and sustainable, shared and inclusive", the event will promote exchanges among gardens from 32 countries and regions of the five continents and gardens from the south of the Yangtze River, northern China and Sichuan, contributing to the building of a beautiful planet Earth and a human community with a shared future, he said.

Wang said the main venue has retained 80 percent of the original landscape and over 100 native plants, while the four sub-venues feature Sichuan-style bonsai, the flower industry, modern agronomy and biodiversity conservation.

During the 186-day event, more than 2,000 all-age-friendly activities will be carried out to enhance visitor engagement, he said. The expo is expected to attract 5 million visitors from China and overseas.