Hainan Pavilion at CICPE showcases island's booming sectors

A wide array of products on display at the Hainan Pavilion of the fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province, highlights the rapid growth of the province's key industries.

Scheduled from April 13 to 18, CICPE has attracted exhibitors from 71 countries and regions, covering emerging sectors such as digital consumption, health products, and green consumption

The event marks the country's first major international expo of the year and is the only state-level exhibition focused on consumer goods.

The products showcased at Hainan Pavilion range from bikes made with composite materials to astronaut foods

Nowadays, more people choose to ride bikes to enjoy the views of the Hainan island, a famous tourist destination. Various cycling races have been held on the island, bringing together cyclists, cycling enthusiasts from across the world.

The growing popularity of cycling on the island has also fueled the growth of related industries, including bike rentals, accommodations, dining, and bike-themed tourism.

"The growing popularity of biking on the Hainan island has boosted the revenue of restaurants and canteens along the riding routes, with some even becoming key gathering spots for cycling enthusiasts. This trend has also driven the upgrade of Hainan's bike industry, as several well-known bike brands have opened stores in Haikou. Additionally, the International Consumer Products Expo will also drive the sales of riding equipment," said Xu Wei with Hainan Tourism Association.

In addition to bikes, space-related products including freeze-dried ice cream and space-themed cultural and creative products can also be found at the pavilion.

In recent years, Hainan has strived to promote the commercial transformation of China's space industry. It is home to the Hainan commercial space launch site, China's first commercial space launch site, providing commercial launch service for both China and beyond.

Located off the coast of Wenchang City, the launch site was designed two launch pads for liquid propellant rockets and another two for solid propellant rockets, with its No.1 and No.2 launch pads completed in December 2023 and June 2024, respectively.

The No.1 pad is designed for the Long March-8, China's new generation medium-lift carrier rocket. The No.2 pad is capable of launching multiple types of rockets with various diameters from commercial rocket companies.

"Commercial development can drive China's scientific and technological advancement, particularly related to commercial rockets and satellites. With the support of launch pads, both launch frequency and the speed of technological upgrades will improve," said Yan Liqing, an engineer.

Notably, the booming space industry has diversified the province's industrial landscape and become a new driver of its economic growth. The coast of Longlou Town in Wenchang offers an ideal vantage point for watching rocket launch. Every time a rocket is launched, large crowds of visitors would flock to the coast, which has significantly boosted the local homestay industry.

"When there is a rocket launch, homestays here are often fully booked out, which significantly increases the income of both homestay owners and local residents as well," said Zhang Fan, a homestay owner.

Hainan Pavilion at CICPE showcases island's booming sectors

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland