The first Zigong International Lantern Expo opened in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, on February 26, with some 300 domestic and foreign delegates at the opening ceremony.
As part of the 25th Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Show, the expo offers a series of activities including project promotion conferences, contract signing ceremonies and discussion forums.
With the theme of "Zigong lantern shining over the world", it aims to enhance the city's image, explore expanding opportunities, and accelerate integration of culture and tourism so as to promote economic and social development in Zigong.
Lantern production in Zigong has become a distinctive emergent cultural industry across China since 2000 and is also well known around the world. There are 750 registered lantern companies in the city with a total annual production value of 4.85 billion yuan. It occupies an 80 percent share of the domestic market, and more than 90 percent overseas.
