HAIKOU /China/, July 25. /TASS/. The 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo, or Hainan Expo 2022, kicks off in Hainan's city of Haikou (the administrative center of the province, South China). The expo will be held from July 25 to 30 with more than 2.8 thousand brands from more than 60 countries and regions around the world set to participate in it.

The exhibition will be held on the territory of Hainan International Exhibition Center. The official opening ceremony will be held on Monday. The exhibition will be opened on Tuesday: it will be open only for businesses and the media on July 26-28, and on July 29-30 it will be open to the public.

The total exposition area this year is 100 000 square meters, 80 000 of which will be occupied by foreign participants. The remaining 20 thousand square meters will house Chinese companies from all regions of the country. It is expected that the exhibition will be visited by more than 40 thousand business representatives.

Participants

This year the exhibition will feature more than 1,600 exhibitors who will present more than 2,800 brands from 61 countries and regions.

France is the guest of honor at this year's expo with about 50 companies and almost 250 brands from the country set to take part in the exhibition. The French pavilion will present perfume and cosmetics, clothing, food and wine, jewelry and various services. The total area of the French pavilion will be about 3 thousand square meters. The country’s participants include Galeries Lafayette group, which owns a network of the same name shopping centers in France, the food company Danone, a clothing, shoes and accessories brand Daniel Hechter and others.

Many participants are expected from the United States with about 36 companies set to present some 170 brands, including cosmetics and perfumes manufacturer Estee Lauder, automobile manufacturer Tesla, the Dell company, Tyson Foods and many others.

Chinese companies, along with foreign participants, take an active part in the exhibition every year. More than 800 companies from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and central cities of the country will be taking part in the expo. This includes FAW (First Automobile Corporation of China), Supor manufacturer of cookware and home appliances, Chinese electronics and appliances manufacturer Gree Electric, drone developer DJI and many other famous brands in China.

Russian participation

Russian companies will take part in the Hainan Expo 2022 for the first time in its history. As the Hainan International Communication Network (HICN) earlier reported, the exhibition will feature products from the Dyatkovo Crystal Factory.

Visitors will be able to get acquainted with a wide range of dishes, sets and other products made of glass and crystal. . According to HICN, the company has not only confirmed its participation in the exhibition but is also considering the possibility of selling their products in duty free stores located in Hainan.

As noted by Chinese media, founded in 1790, Dyatkovo Crystal Factory has every chance to become a successful brand in China. For two centuries of existence its products have repeatedly won various international competitions and have been awarded for high quality, and were also auctioned by Sotheby's and Christie's, the world's most famous and oldest auction houses.

According to local media, the fact that this brand's crystal sets and other utensils are used at receptions in the Kremlin since 1952 might help pave the way to the hearts of Chinese consumers.

Expo’s events

One of the most eagerly awaited events is the presentation of the novelties. As the Hainan Daily newspaper earlier reported, more than 600 items of various goods from all over the world will be presented at the exhibition for the first time. New products in such categories as cosmetics, food, jewelry, electronics and others are expected to be unveiled.

Thematic conferences and a forum on sustainable consumption will also take place on the margins of the exhibition. Special attention will be paid to the design industry with an international Fashion Week to be held during the Expo at the Hainan International Exhibition Center.

Ecological exhibition

Haikou authorities pay special attention to the principle of sustainability when organizing the event. According to HICN, this is reflected in the construction of the exhibition stands, transportation and catering during the exhibition and many other aspects. Eco-friendly materials were used for the construction of the press center, which can be reused.

This year' exhibition introduced a complete ban on the use of plastic, in particular on the sale and use of disposable plastic bags and utensils. In addition, the organizers encourage a paperless format of the event: they call on exhibitors to abandon the use of paper, and services such as ticketing and other transfer into electronic form.

The mascot of the exhibition

Much like last year, Hainan gibbons – unique primates that live only on this island - were named the mascot of the expo. However, this time the designers changed the design of mascots in three thematic versions. They symbolize the promising areas in the development of the southern province of China: seed production, deep ocean projects and the aerospace industry. Thus, this year visitors will see "gibbons of good luck" dressed as breeders, deep-sea divers and space suits.

Primate figurines made of plastic will be available for purchase in the so-called blind boxes - packages, which do not allow to find out in advance which of the characters are in them. Journalists who came to Haikou to cover the event have already received a souvenir: a blanc box, along with the usual pens, notepads and badges, was included in a gift backpack for media representatives.

The city's atmosphere

Images of gibbons can be seen at almost every turn in Haikou these days. Posters and themed banners decorate the city streets, transport and public places. Mascot life-size figures are installed in parks, near the fairgrounds and at the Meilan International Airport.

Another integral part of the exhibition are increased security measures aimed at preventing the risks of spreading COVID-19. All journalists arriving in Haikou to cover the event were required to take several PCR tests before arriving in the city and to do another test upon arrival.