9th Silk Road Expo closes in Xi'an

The 9th Silk Road International Expo and the Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation Between East and West China concluded Sunday in Xi'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. 

The five-day expo covered six exhibition zones spanning a show floor of 72,000 square meters and introduced several new features, such as AI-powered content. 

Particularly popular was the zone on premium products from Belt and Road countries.  It showcased thousands of exhibits from 158 exhibitors across 46 countries, ranging from gourmet foods to handicrafts. It also introduced geographical indications (GI) for products from home and abroad for the first time. 

"This exhibition zone brings together geographical indications (GI) products from 14 Belt and Road countries and 13 Chinese provinces. Through this platform, we aim to open up sales channels and promote industrial development," said Shen Liping, Director of Shaanxi Intellectual Property Office. 

Organizers' data shows the Belt and Road Premium Product Exhibition attracted over 52,000 visitors and generated 46.99 million yuan (about 6.52 million U.S. dollars) in intended deals from Wednesday to Friday. 

For the first time, the expo added the Cultural Tourism Consumption Exhibition, with more than 70 entities showcasing destination promotion, performing arts, intangible heritage, and sports tourism. 

A standout exhibit was an AI-powered national tourism resource trading platform developed by Shaanxi Culture Industry Investment Holdings (Group) Co., Ltd.. The system leverages big data and user behavior analytics to automate customized travel itineraries while streamlining industry transactions. 

"The AI technology can significantly shorten the transaction process for tourism products, facilitating overall transformation and upgrading of the tourism industry," said the group's staff Ma Zhaoying.

9th Silk Road Expo closes in Xi'an

China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Beijing on Tuesday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China stands ready to work with Tajikistan to strengthen cooperation across multiple key areas.

Taking the important consensus reached by the two heads of state as the fundamental guideline, Zhao said the two sides should aim to deepen strategic mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, promote high-quality development of China-Central Asia cooperation, and build a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future featuring everlasting friendship, solidarity, and mutual benefit and win-win results.

Zhao said China's NPC is ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the parliament of Tajikistan to provide a legal guarantee for the long-term healthy and stable development of China-Tajikistan relations.

Rahmon said Tajikistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and fully supports the four major global initiatives put forward by China.

He said Tajikistan is glad to see the great achievements China has made in its modernization drive, and is ready to strengthen practical cooperation with China in various fields such as politics, economy and culture, deepen exchanges between legislative bodies, and continuously enhance the friendly feelings between the two peoples.

On Tuesday morning, Rahmon laid a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes.

Rahmon is paying a state visit to China from from Monday to Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China's top legislator meets Tajik president