The world will be watching Beijing's Yanqing District in the next six months, as the district hosts the 2019 International Horticultural Expo. With its vast natural landscapes, the region is now taking advantage of the world's biggest garden show to push its green and sustainable development.

Zhang Guohua and her fellow gardeners are working around the clock to plant more fresh flowers in the center of Yanqing District. This is also the last-stage preparation for the upcoming expo.

As a Yanqing local, Zhang is excited to get involved in its green development. "We've planted a variety of flowers and trees this spring, including the forsythia, peach, and apricot. I simply love gardening. I have to say, Yanqing has so much to offer... Many of the plants that will be displayed at the expo are from here," said Zhang.

More than 2,000 species of indigenous plants and flowers from Yanqing will be exhibited at the global horticultural gathering. The location of the expo is at a carefully protected conservation area, where the local Gui River runs through. Authorities say more than one million square meters of fresh green areas were planted around the expo site in the past year.

"We've demolished many illegal or old construction sites to create more green space like lawns here... and we believe this will help Yanqing gain more business and investment opportunities in the future," said He Haijun, deputy director of Yanqing's Urban Management Commission.

Local residents are feeling the benefits of these ecological achievements. In downtown, we met some residents. "The square was refurbished, and there are new public restrooms and entertainment facilities... The air is cleaner as well. Now I think it's every citizen's responsibility to protect the environment," said one local.

Sustainability is a goal many places are trying to achieve after hosting grand events. However, authorities here said the expo gardens have been incorporated into the area from the very beginning.

"We're always committed to a green growth pattern. Therefore, this expo has no conflicts with our development strategies. We've also set up a special team to deal with the rational use of venue resources in the post-expo period," He Haijun added.

Harmony between human and nature is lively and well displayed in Yanqing, waiting to welcome an estimated 16 million visitors during the 162-day expo.

(Top image shows the venues of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Expo via VCG.)

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