Innovative paper on display at expo in southern Chinese metropolis

Innovative paper and state-of-the-art papermaking technologies are on display at the 20th International Pulp and Paper Industry Expo in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou until Saturday.

The expo opened on Thursday, attracting more than 300 well-known domestic and foreign papermaking companies and equipment suppliers to showcase their products and technologies.

Art paper is one of the most eye-catching exhibits at the expo.

One papermaking enterprise presents a relatively rough, very flexible paper with obvious plant fibers on the surface. It is made of common water hyacinth, an aquatic plant native to South America, and straw fiber.

The exhibitor also showcasesd a product that is made of sisal and mulberry bark, making the paper with high bulk value and high tensile strength.

"This paper has a fluffy texture. Unlike hard-pressed paper, it looks more vivid and can be used for embossed printing. It is widely used in packaging, hang tags, gift boxes, notebooks, and envelopes, and its price is not particularly high," said Lin Lin, store manager of the papermaking enterprise.

Another papermaking company offers diverse choices of colors. The company takes inspiration from nature and uses low-saturation colors, which can meet the needs of mid- to high-end product designs.

"We try to extract colors from flowers, trees, and everything nature presents to our eyes, and try our best to remake the colors. Because people stare at screens every day and the RGB colors are very bright, people will feel tired after a long time," said Jin Xinxin, product manager of the papermaking company.

International buyers said Chinese papermakers are innovative.

"We have been doing business with China since long [many] years (ago). The Chinese designs are so modern. They are innovating new things, new products. They are very stunning," said Sheikh Ibrahim, a Pakistani buyer.

This year's expo has multiple exhibition areas dedicated to pulp and paper technology, industry chains, and chemicals. Buyers can see leading equipment, materials, designs, and solutions.

It is estimated that more than 10,000 buyers from more than 20 countries and regions have participated in the exhibition on-site.

Innovative paper on display at expo in southern Chinese metropolis

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has called on Venezuelans to defense national sovereignty on Saturday against Washington's intention to temporarily "run" the South American nation after the U.S. forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.

Rodriguez was appointed by Venezuela's Supreme Court after Maduro was flown out of the country by U.S. forces.

In an address aired on Caracas-based news network teleSUR, Rodriguez condemned the U.S. operation as an act of aggression that resulted in casualties among Venezuelan military personnel and civilians. She demanded the immediate release of Maduro and called on people to unite in defense of the country's sovereignty.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would "run" Venezuela temporarily to ensure what he described as a secure transition. He said that major U.S. oil companies would be permitted to enter the Venezuelan market.

The U.S. action in Venezuela has drawn criticism both at home and abroad.

Several U.S. lawmakers publicly opposed or questioned the military action, while protests were held in a number of American cities including New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.

In Caracas, Venezuelans also gathered on Saturday to condemn the U.S. trikes.

Venezuelan acting president urges sovereignty defense against US takeover threat