Foreign merchants attending the 137th Canton Fair had the chance to enjoy beautiful orchids and experience elements of traditional Chinese culture on Thursday.
The China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, kicked off on Tuesday in Guangzhou City, south China's Guangdong Province with the number of export exhibitors exceeding 30,000 for the first time in the history of the world-famous event.
Aside from finding business opportunities, the event is also a good chance for foreign merchants to learn about the beauty of China.
During their visit, they toured the Canton Orchid Garden in Guangzhou, known as "the kingdom of orchid" for its collection of nearly 20,000 pots featuring more than 100 varieties.
"The Canton Fair is not only a major event for commerce, but also a grand gathering for cultural exchange. We've invited participants of Canton Fair to enjoy the oriental aesthetics at the Orchid Garden, hoping our excellent traditional Chinese culture can go global via international exchanges," said Zhang Rong, curator of Yuexiu District's Cultural Center.
Also in their tour, overseas merchants also experienced the joys of traditional Chinese musical instruments, paintings and handcrafts.
"I think Guangzhou is a really nice city. When I come to China, I want to learn more about Chinese culture and Chinese stories. I have access to those here. I really like it," said a French purchaser.
Foreign merchants attending Canton Fair enjoy Guangzhou's orchids, traditional culture
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that the situation in Iran is "under total control" following violence linked to protests that spiked over the weekend.
Addressing foreign diplomats in Tehran, the foreign minister noted that armed terrorist groups had infiltrated the protests, attempting to divert them from their legitimate course. He claimed that evidence has been gathered showing Iranian security forces being shot at, with the aim of causing further casualties. He accused the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to interfere in Iran's internal affairs.
Araghchi further stated that the government is closely monitoring developments on the streets, emphasizing that "the situation has come under control." He also affirmed that internet services, curtailed during the unrest, would be restored after coordination with security agencies.
The government has engaged in dialogue with merchants and protest representatives and initiated reforms to address grievances related to price hikes and currency depreciation. Iran has taken a series of actions and measures to respond to the demands of peaceful demonstrators, the foreign minister said.
Earlier on Sunday, Araghchi said that clear evidence links recent riots and vandalism of public facilities in Iran to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. This came after former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Mossad agents operating on Iran's streets in a social media post. The Iranian foreign minister asserted that police are being attacked by "terrorists" acting under the direction of Israeli operatives, whom Pompeo publicly acknowledged.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and U.S. sanctions.
Iranian foreign minister says situation "fully under control," accuses Israeli intelligence of stoking unrest
