Milan fair emphasizes agriculture, with China playing a leading role

World Expo 2015, which opens in Milan on May 1, will focus on modern agriculture, and China is reflecting that theme in its pavilion.

The theme of the pavilion is agriculture and food, all of which will run under the banner "Land of hope, food for life".

People at the Navigli District, a network of interconnected canals in Milan, northern Italy, on April 26. The Milan Expo opens on May 1. Photos provided to China Daily

In addition to promoting its business connections in agriculture at the expo, which runs until October, China will also emphasize areas including culture, finance and travel.

Wang Jinzhen, general representative for the China pavilion, says this is the first time China has taken part in a universal exposition overseas.

China, with the challenges that being the world's most populous country bring, hopes to demonstrate its concerns about and achievements in agriculture, and share its practical farming methods and technologies with the world.

Following the success of the Shanghai Expo 2010, and particularly China's pavilion there, the pavilion in Milan takes in traditional Chinese architecture as well as modern design ideas to produce what is said to resemble "wheat waves".

Wang says: "The task of the China pavilion is to offer a unique experience for visitors, as protagonists, increasing their awareness of and seeking their participation in the drive for the right to food that is healthy, safe and sufficient, the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the food chain, as well as the preservation of taste and of food culture."

The pavilion covers 4,590 square meters, making it the second largest self-constructed pavilion after the German one.

The expo site is about 15 kilometers from Milan and covers about one square kilometer.

China has five main exhibition areas - under the headings of introduction, sky, earth, humanity and harmony - showing the country's concept of agriculture and food through exhibits and a simulated model farm.

The Italian government decided in 2011 to invite to the expo all member states of the United Nations and to open the fair's doors to non-governmental organizations and companies as key stakeholders in the global debate on the challenges related to nutrition and food.

All participants, who will use a wide range of methods and with varying aims, will be called on to interpret and contribute to the expo under themes such as "Feeding the planet" and "Energy for life".

"This is the first time that China will have two subsidiary pavilions for businesses, the China Corporate United Pavilion and the Vanke Pavilion," Wang says. Vanke of Shenzhen is one of China's largest property developers.

China will be present in the three pavilions, which are separate but interconnected. In the two business pavilions, the country's companies will present themselves to the world.

"Seeds of China" in the Corporate United Pavilion, upholds the ideals of conserving natural resources and food security.

Wang, who is also vice-president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, says this year marks the 45th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between China and Italy, so leaders from both countries will focus their attention on the expo, which will provide an opportunity to expand communication and strengthen understanding.

Construction work on the China pavilion was completed on April 20. The pavilion will host a series of themed weeks and days for 17 Chinese provinces and cities and have 10 theme days for Chinese business, staging more than 100 activities in various fields.

"The role of Expo 2015 is to spread the work of the provinces and municipalities involved," Wang says.

"There will be a large program of activities aimed at illustrating Chinese efforts to maintain common cultural traditions to support natural sustainability and rational progress."

A total of 148 countries, regions and international organizations are taking part in the expo, and 55 will have pavilions. Organizers say they expect more than 20 million visitors.

Once the expo closes, the China pavilion will move to Qingdao, Shandong province,

Giuseppe Sala, commissioner of the Italian government for the expo, says China has a great history in food and is one of the few reference food cultures at a global level. It will be a key country for the expo and crucial to making it a success, he says.

"The exposition will be an opportunity to consolidate commercial relations between Italy and China and will give China a strategic opportunity to share its own culture, traditions and innovations."

Sala says this will underline China's role in promoting sustainability and innovation.

Earlier, Sala said in a speech that China was proving to be one the expo's key partners.

"With its three pavilions, the country is among those which has invested the most in our event. The projects which (are) presented and the interpretations are very high profile and will offer visitors an edutainment experience rich in content and of extraordinary interest."

A road show promoting the expo and China's role in it was held between October and March, taking in eight Chinese cities.

China's system of food production faces increasing pressures as it will need to feed a growing and increasingly well-off population even as economic development slows to a more sustainable level.

"The country's natural resource base is progressively more fragile, and climate change is shifting weather and temperature patterns, says Yu Xiaodong, spokesman for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

"All of these have threatened China's food and nutrition security and come at a high economic cost."

Yu says the expo's being held in Italy offers China the opportunity to expand collaboration with European countries and multinationals on modern agriculture, energy efficiency and sustainable urbanization, and develop better ties on finance, trade and people-to-people exchanges to improve bilateral and multilateral business ties.

In his speech, Sala says: "I am sure (the expo) will be a unique opportunity to familiarize Italians and the rest of the world with the history, the ... traditions and innovations of this great country. China can and wants to make a strategic contribution to the global challenge of sustainable development for the near future."

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 05/01/2015 page19)