The Beijing International Horticultural Expo is not just about pavilions and plants. Cutting-edge technologies like 5G are on display, and being put to use for visitors to enjoy first-hand. CGTN reporter WANG MENGZHEN tours the expo's special 5g exhibition center to show how smart the expo is.

WANG MENGZHEN BEIJING "5G is right around the corner and now it's even merging with the International Horticultural Expo. Walking inside its 5g exhibition hall led by China Telecom. Inevitably, you meet the huge crowds of visitors, they are not here for taking selfies with rare plants, but a totally fresh experience. 

First is the humanoid robot, thanks to 5g's ultra-speed and fewer delays, it allows the robot to imitate what I am doing simultaneously. Another setting that's drawing crowds is this VR helmet, enabling visitors to watch the livestream footage of drones flying around the expo venue. To realize that, 5g is at work in its data transmission between the drone and the helmet. 

This way, we've reached the security monitoring system, using image patterns to recognize people's faces as well as their identities. And finally we come to the expo's smart management system involving more than 5000 facilities inside the expo, such as the trash can here. From the moment I threw the bottle inside, it was tracked when the can is full, an alert will be issued on the screen to warn management.  And it took staff here just six months to build this complex network."

LI LUMIN BEIJING BUREAU, CHINA TELECOM "Thanks to 5G's broader network connections, we've connected 5G with sensors installed in each facility. We've tested the whole system numerous time. This could be a miniature version of a future smart city when 5G is fully put into use."

The world is testing 5G for the internet of things. And many are counting the days until its commercial launch next year. WANG MENGZHEN, CGTN at the 5G Exhibition of 2019 Beijing Horticultural Expo.