More than 1,000 potted orchids from 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions as well as from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and a dozen of countries including Japan, the United States and Australia, will be displayed at the exposition.

The exposition is jointly sponsored by the Chengdu city government, the China Orchid Association and the China Orchid Society.

Business promotion activities will also be held to spur orchid production and trade.

Chengdu, one of China's major orchid producers, reached sales of 50 million yuan (about six million US dollars) and a total income of 400 million yuan in the sector last year

(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2001)