Flower sales boom in Beijing as New Year holiday season approaches

As China gears up for a string of festive celebrations in the run-up to the traditional Spring Festival holiday in late January and early February, the vibrant explosion of flower sales has turned the market into a colorful frenzy.

Waves of consumers are flocking to a flower market in Shunyi District of Beijing to purchase bougainvillea, a plant typically found in southern China but increasingly popular among consumers in the north.

Local flower merchants have successfully domesticated bougainvillea for northern climates, making it more cold-resistant and easier to maintain.

"This year, we've clearly noticed an increase in customer preference for bougainvillea, especially from those who come specifically to buy our bougainvillea," said Zhang Chao, a sales manager at the flower market.

Recently, more and more customers have been coming to the Beijing Flower Trading Center in Fengtai District to purchase Rhododendron lapponicum. "The natural blooming period of Rhododendron lapponicum is from March to May in spring. However, to meet the demand during the Spring Festival shopping season, we've used some technical methods to induce bud growth in December, ensuring that the flowers bloom during the festival. This year, we have about 30,000 pots of Rhododendron lapponicum for sale, including more than 20 varieties," said Wang Jiahuan, a staff member at the Beijing Flower Trading Center.

This distribution center, covering an area of 30,000 square meters, primarily serves flower shop owners and individual consumers in Beijing, Tianjin Municipality, Hebei Province, and surrounding areas. Currently, the center holds around one million pots of flowers, which is approximately 20 percent more than the same period last year.

"When this year's New Year flowers were first delivered to our market, they sold out quickly. Customers are usually keen to purchase flowers from the New Year's Day (Jan. 1) to the Lantern Festival (that falls on Feb. 12 this year). Our daily sales range from 30,000 to 50,000 pots," said Yun Mingyue, deputy manager of the Beijing Shunyi International Flower Port.

At the Beijing Shunyi International Flower Port, many merchants have introduced succulent plants, air plants, and other types of flowering plants as their main products. These plants are popular among young people due to their low maintenance requirements and minimal need for watering. Additionally, simulation flowers have gained favor for their realistic appearance, long-lasting appeal, and being easy to manage.

Flower sales boom in Beijing as New Year holiday season approaches

The China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum is expected to bring new vitality to the global development and human civilization, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing.

Petro, who delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum on Wednesday, told China Media Group (CMG) in an interview, while giving a special mention of the importance of the forum as a platform to reshape multilateralism.

"This Forum, held here in China, comes at a pivotal moment in history. And that's precisely what makes it so significant. It is taking place at a time when multilateralism is in urgent need of reshaping. There are some powers who believe they can rule the world through intimidation and shows of force. But with China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries standing together, we must make them understand: history is full of hard lessons. Those who once flexed their military might did not prevail. They may have enjoyed momentary success in the past, but this time, history will not repeat itself," he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-CELAC Forum's operation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated in his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum that under the careful cultivation of both sides over the past 10 years, the China-CELAC Forum has grown from a tender sapling into a towering tree.

Petro hailed the relations between China and LAC countries over the past decade, saying that the cooperation is expected to energize the global development and human civilization.

"Yes, exactly, a tree. A strong and thriving tree, with deep and well-developed roots firmly anchored in the earth. There's no doubt that over the past ten years, trade in physical goods between China and LAC countries has grown substantially. China is involved in building the Bogota metro project. China is also constructing a port in Peru, and many other large-scale infrastructure projects are being advanced through Chinese investment and engineering expertise. When we link the cultural and civilizational threads of China and LAC countries, it's as if we are nurturing a living tree, one that grows tall toward the sky and promises to bring new vitality to the human civilization," he said.

China-CELAC Forum brings new vitality to global development: Colombian president