South and Southeast Asia commodity expo features more than 3,300 enterprises from across China and the world

The ongoing 2019 South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair is expected to create an effective platform for regional cooperation, said a senior official of Yunnan province.

The event opened on June 12 in Kunming, capital city of the Southwest China province.

Chen Hao, Party secretary of Yunnan, said the expo is an important step for achieving the consensus reached at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in April between Yunnan and its neighboring regions in South and Southeast Asia.

Representatives from 74 countries and regions and China's 20 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions attend the event. Li Ming / For China Daily

Chen made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the expo.

The Party chief said Yunnan is an important part of the BRI, standing at the core of several regional cooperation programs between China and neighboring countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia.

He said Yunnan has been actively engaged in the BRI by building close business links with the neighboring countries.

He noted the aim of the event is to improve the economies and people's lives in the regions through trade and investment, better connectivity and more frequent exchanges.

"We should make good use of the complementary advantages of all countries in hopes of contributing to sustainable growth in the region," Chen said.

Representatives from more than 3,300 enterprises in 74 countries and regions, China's 20 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, as well as deputies of international organizations have attended the expo, according to the event's organizing committee.

Among those enterprises, nearly half are from overseas, including 20 companies on the Fortune Global 500 list.

Exhibitors from a variety of industries and regions are displaying their products, technologies, solutions and services in 17 exhibition halls with a total area of 170,000 square meters.

In addition to commodities from various countries and regions, the latest information and digital technologies development in Yunnan are also on display. The advancements have made the expo a "smart" event.

A 5G experience zone and a digital economy demonstration zone at the Kunming Dianchi International Convention and Exhibition Center, the main venue of the fair, are showing the latest achievements of the related industries in Yunnan.

The zone offers highly interactive experiences to visitors as they watch ultrahigh definition 5G displays for the live broadcast of the event's various activities, touch and operate all the cutting-edge displays like robots, artificial intelligence and virtual reality equipment.

The Yunnan digital economy demonstration zone shows how people can access government services, tourism information and e-commerce on a smartphone.

The zone also features a smart home area, where visitors can feel the convenience brought by 5G and other cutting-edge technologies like TVs, door locks, heaters and refrigerators that can be operated through their smartphones.

In addition to the latest information and communication technologies, environmentally friendly industries are also being highlighted at the expo.

There is a green energy exhibition hall showcasing the latest developments in the industry, new products and technologies. The digital and smart technologies that can contribute to improving the industry's operating efficiency are another highlight.

A forest ecology exhibition hall forms part of the green concept of the expo. It shows how forests can be explored and effectively protected with the development of industries such as tourism, edible fungi and herbs cultivation, as well as the domestication of wild animals to reduce poaching.

Another exhibition centering on the green concept is the display of organic farming produce, to meet people's demand for healthy food.

With the theme of "A better gateway and powerhouse for shared development and prosperity", the expo is composed of 14 events. Events include the 2019 China-South Asia and Southeast Asia Arts Week; the second China-South Asia Cooperation Forum; the third China-Southeast Asia Business Forum and a signing ceremony for trade and investment projects.

The expo's organizing committee predicts 600 billion yuan ($86.76 billion) worth of projects will be signed at the event.

The event will officially close on June 18, however, organizers said the South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair will not be limited to a week's time.

There will be permanent shows in Kunming for companies and commodities from China, Southeast Asia and South Asia.

In addition, there will be online exhibitions for specialty commodities from Yunnan's neighboring regions.

The host province of Yunnan is a hub of the ancient southern Silk Road because of its easy access to the rest of China and the South and Southeast Asia regions.

The province is now playing an important role in the BRI with improved connectivity and strengthened economic and cultural cooperation with neighboring regions. It has developed a comprehensive transport network consisting of highways, railways, air routes and waterways to neighboring countries.