China to hold three national-level forestry-related fairs this year
By Zhuang Yuying
["china"]
China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) held a press conference on May 23, releasing its agenda on three coming national-level fairs this year.
In 2019, the administration will cooperate with three provincial governments, including Shandong, Zhejiang, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to showcase distinctive forest products from different parts of China. 
According to Li Yuyin, deputy director of the Department of Reform and Development for Forestry and Grassland, these fairs will be increasingly internationalized, with participants of some 500 enterprises from more than 50 countries. 
A visitor from Yemen tries a bamboo flute at the 11th China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair, 2018. /VCG Photo

A visitor from Yemen tries a bamboo flute at the 11th China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair, 2018. /VCG Photo

Each of the fairs is unique. The China Forest Product Trade Fair in Shandong Province features wood and wooden construction materials; the one in Zhejiang, known as China Yiwu International Forest Products Fair, highlights its time-honored handmade bamboo ware; and the one jointly organized by the NFGA and Xinjiang presents high-quality fruits and nuts from Xinjiang.
In 2018, China's forestry sector output reached 7.33 trillion yuan (about 1.06 trillion U.S. dollars), 2.88 percent up over the previous year. The value of import and export of forest products exceeded 160 billion U.S. dollars. 
While maintaining its position as the biggest producer and trader of forest products, China plans to increase its forest coverage to 23.04 percent by 2020, and 26 percent by 2035.
(Cover image: Officers introduce the three fairs. /CGTN Photo)