Colorful Central Asia culture, products interest visitors at newly opened park in northwest China's Xi'an

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Vibrant culture and diverse products on show at the Central Asia Park in Xi'an City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province have caught much interest from visitors since its opening to the public on Sunday, a year after a historic summit of leaders of China and Central Asian nations.   The park is located near the Xi'an International Exhibition Center, one of the venues for the 2023 China-Central Asia Summit. Sculptures of horses and camel caravans decorate the approximately 53-hectare park, symbolizing the prosperous exchanges over centuries and the beautiful vision of joint development between China and Central Asian countries, which are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

"China is one of the countries with the longest history in the world, and the Silk Road also has a very long history. Today, I see many Silk Road elements and many Central Asian elements here, and I am very happy," said Oakham, head of the business development department of the ADY Container.

At the park's shop, visitors can buy specialties including snacks and oil paintings from Central Asian countries.

"Today, I come to have a look with my husband. It is very convenient to buy products from Central Asia in the vicinity of home," said Zhang Ying, a Xi'an resident.

"I saw many products showcasing the culture of the five Central Asian countries, including oil paintings and delicious food. Today, I found cookies from Kazakhstan, which are very familiar to me. I hope more people from Xi'an and all over China can visit here to learn about the cultures of these five Central Asian countries," said Anita Jumekenova, a lady from Kazakhstan, who is an independent director of the Shaanxi Silk Road City Holdings Group Co., Ltd.

The building at the main entrance of the park is called the "Silk Road Meeting Room", showcasing gifts from Central Asian countries, including traditional costumes from Kazakhstan and sculptures of "bow shooting" from Kyrgyzstan.

"The 'Silk Road Meeting Room' is not only for exhibition, but also facilitates international trade, bulk trade. It is not only a pavilion, but also a platform to really promote trade interaction between China and Central Asian countries," said Talafuhan, head of Xinjiang Zhongya Internet Incubator Co., Ltd.

Xi'an is a historical city founded about 3,100 years ago. Formerly known as Chang'an, it is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, which saw flourishing interactions between China and Central Asia.

The China-Central Asia Summit, held in the city in May 2023, was the first summit held offline by the heads of state of the six countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and each of the five Central Asian states 31 years ago.

Colorful Central Asia culture, products interest visitors at newly opened park in northwest China's Xi'an

Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.

Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.

More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.

Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.

"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.

During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.

"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.

In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.

With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.

"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.

Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition