The International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 is poised to kick off in Beijing on April 29, after years of preparations.

Under the theme of Live Green, Live Better, the Beijing expo aims to inspire people to respect and protect nature and pursue a green, low-carbon and environment-friendly lifestyle in the hope of spreading the concept of harmony between horticulture and city, humans and nature.

It is the second time that China will hold the A1-category international horticultural exhibition, following the 1999 World Horticultural Exposition in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The 162-day expo, to be held in Yanqing District, a northern suburb of Beijing at the foot of the Great Wall, is set to impress its estimated 16 million visitors from home and abroad with a huge collection of plants, flowers and eye-catching pavilions, as well as new ideas for green development.

More than 110 countries and international organizations and over 120 non-official exhibitors have confirmed participation.

In recent years, China has stepped up efforts in its ecological civilization construction, and is following the principle of conserving resources and protecting the environment.

President Xi Jinping has highlighted the importance of green development on multiple occasions. On several occasions, he has said that "clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets."

An increasing number of people are adopting a green lifestyle, while resources have been saved and energy consumption reduced.

The expo also serves as a platform for cultural exchanges and economic cooperation among different countries. A number of activities will be held to facilitate trade and investment cooperation between participating countries in horticulture.

In addition, cutting-edge technologies will be displayed to provide visitors with smart experiences in areas like drones and self-driving vehicles. Robotic tour guides, baristas and cleaners will also be used to serve visitors.

The Beijing expo will showcase China's green development achievements to the world, promote mutual learning in green development and increase exchanges among countries and regions.