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Toy Hainan gibbons became Hainan Expo’s most popular souvenir

Prices for souvenirs with the expo mascot range from $4.3 for a badge to $11.7 for a toy

HAIKOU /China/, July 30. /TASS/. The Hainan gibbon, which is the 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo mascot, became this year's best-selling souvenir at the exhibition. An employee of a souvenir shop at the expo center told TASS on Saturday that visitors purchase about 30,000 products featuring the animal every day.

Hainan gibbons - unique primates that live only on the island - were chosen to be the mascot of the expo, like last year. 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.

"Most often people buy large soft toys in the form of a gibbon, as well as badges and key chains with its image," an employee of a souvenir store told TASS. According to him, the popularity of gibbons reminded the employees of the shop of the excitement around the mascot of the Beijing Olympics - the panda Bingdong, which sold out in all stores in China in just a few days.

The price of souvenirs with the mascot of the exhibition ranges from 29 yuan ($4.3) for a badge to 79 yuan ($11.7) for a toy, according to a TASS correspondent.

Along with Hainan gibbons, the souvenir shop also offered dried tropical fruits, packages of coconut cookies and other traditional Hainan treats.

About the expo

The 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo will be held from July 25 to 30 and will feature over 2,800 brands from more than 60 countries and regions around the world. Over 600 kinds of products will be unveiled during the expo. As expected, the exhibition will be visited by more than 40 thousand businessmen. France is the guest of honor at this year's event.

The opening ceremony marked the start of the Expo's business program. The exhibition itself started on Tuesday: from July 26 to 28 the exhibition will be open only for the business community and mass media, and on July 29-30 it will open its doors for the general public.

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