Preparations for the 11th China-Northeast Asia Expo in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, is going smoothly and as planned, according to the organizers.

The expo will be held from Sept 1-5 at the Changchun International Convention & Exhibition Center. A total of 2,725 exhibition booths have been confirmed and the expo's space was fully registered as of late July, according to the expo's organizing committee.

All the preparation works are now in the final stages. Designing and construction of the exhibition spaces are underway. As of late August, 26 forums and 12 promotional events concerning the expo on the city level have been held. The second World Jilin Entrepreneurs Convention will also be held during the expo.

The Ninth High-level Forum on Northeast Asian Cooperation, to be launched along with the expo on Sept 1, expects 1,200 participants, more than 60 percent of whom are from overseas, according to the organizers.

The theme of this year's forum is "promoting more convenient investment, free trade, boosting development of connectivity and diversity in the Northeast Asian region". High-level officials from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Croatia and Zambia have confirmed their attendance.

The first Northeast Asia Expo was held in September 2005. It was intended as an effort to expand regional cooperation and accelerate rejuvenation of the nation's old industrial base in Northeast China.

The expo was approved by China's central government. Presently, it is co-sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the People's Government of Jilin.

"The China-Northeast Asia Expo has developed into an important channel of dialogue and communication between governments in the area, and an important platform for regional economic cooperation," said Li Jinxiu, vice-governor of Jilin province, at a news conference promoting the expo in June. "It has also become a crucial passageway for the countries' cultural exchange, and a carrier of the Tumen River Area's cooperative development. Its influence as an important window of opening-up has been growing."

Zhou Jianping, head of the Department of Northeastern Revitalization of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the expansion of opening-up to the outside world is a major part of Northeast China's effort to improve its operational system, and a key point the central government has emphasized in the revitalization of the region.

"The Northeast China region, with nearby borders and being by the sea, has unique geographical advantages, and is well positioned for opening-up and connecting with other countries of Northeast Asia," Zhou said. "The National Development and Reform Commission will promote the region's emergence in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, in an effort to transform Northeast China into an important window of opening-up to the north and a pivot of cooperation in Northeast Asia."

INTERNATIONAL ATTENDANCE

Member countries of the expo comprise China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Japan, ROK, Mongolia and Russia. The countries involved together cover a total area of 28.84 million square kilometers, with a total population of more than 1.7 billion. Their combined GDP accounts for one fifth of the world's total and they have about half of the world's foreign-exchange reserves, according to the organizers.

As an organizer of the expo, Jilin's provincial foreign affairs office has invited foreign officials and businesspeople to attend the expo and forum. The office said at least 11 foreign political dignitaries, 567 foreign businesspeople and 32 of the world's top 500 companies have confirmed their attendance.

The foreign affairs office asked for help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, besides holding promotional events and sending out delegations to Japan and ROK to publicize the expo.

PAVILION LAYOUT

An intelligent manufacturing-themed exhibition hall will be set up for the first time at the 11th China-Northeast Asia Expo in No 9 pavilion. According to the expo's organizing committee, the intelligent manufacturing exhibition hall will include advanced products such as 3-D printing, robots and intelligent applications.

The No 1 pavilion will feature mobile internet payment and new lifestyles. Pavilions 2-8 will have the themes of Hong Kong commodities, Taiwan commodities, international commodities, opening-up and cooperation, foods and pharmaceuticals, as well as the cultural and tourism industries.

CITIES' BOOTHS

Jilin city, the second-largest city of Jilin province, has made all the necessary preparations to participate in the expo.

The city's main exhibition booth will cover 408 square meters and feature 114 products.

Special effects and features will be applied to help attract visitors, such as a 3-D meteorite, a digital sand table and a VR experience zone.

The Jilin City Investment roadshow will be held on Sept 2 in Changchun.

As the host city, Changchun is also well-prepared for the upcoming expo. The Changchun International Convention & Exhibition Center, reception hotels and other expo-associated facilities have been fully arranged.

The booth of the Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture also covers more than 400 square meters and will be decorated with Azalea flowers, a symbol of prosperity and happiness for the city and the flower emblem of the prefecture.

Yanlong new district and investment promotion will be its key exhibition elements. High-tech products will also be used to improve their service, according to the organizers.

The Yanbian investment roadshow will be held in Yanji city in September with more than 800 attendees.

Time: Sept 1 to 5(Friday - Tuesday), 2017

Venue: Changchun International Convention & Exhibition Center, Jilin province, China