The 23rd Kunming International Flower Expo kicked off on Friday in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, attracting more than 500 enterprises from around the world. The three-day exhibition features a display of four major industries: flowers, coffee, tropical plants, and small berries, offering visitors a glimpse into the charm of Yunnan's agriculture. The expo brings together leading flower businesses from China and other major producing countries and regions, along with buyers from across the globe. This year, France is the guest of honor. "This year is the first time we are exhibiting in Kunming. So, it's a milestone for Morel. Among the few varieties we are introducing this year, one is called 'Petit Moulin.' It means 'small mill.' And the specificity of it is that it can flower more than 100 days," said Laurent Mossan, business development director at Morel Flowers, a French company. As China's "flower capital," Yunnan has become a major hub for both production and trade. In 2024 alone, the province produced more than 20 billion stems of fresh-cut flowers and exported them to over 50 countries and regions. Local exhibitors are showcasing their latest innovations at the expo, highlighting the region's expanding role in global floriculture. "As of today, we have registered 295 rose varieties in China, ranking first nationwide. In 2024, our breeding scale exceeded one million seeds, the largest in the world. But it may still take three, five, or even more years for our products to gain international application before we can truly become strong," said Li Shubin, a rose breeding specialist at the Yunnan Rose Breeding and Innovation Research Institute. In recent years, Yunnan's favorable climate and investment environment have attracted a growing number of international industry leaders, creating a vibrant and blossoming floral industry. "We invest to achieve double-digit growth year on year. Now we are building a new greenhouse to increase our plug production for anthuriums. And so far, we are very proud that together with growers, we can enter some of the national supermarket chains," said Mads Jensen, general manager for Anthura Kunming in China. A diplomat expressed the hope that the expo will also serve as a window into wider global cooperation and exchange. "Biodiversity, generally speaking, is one of the very strong topics today of Franco-Chinese collaboration, and where better to do biodiversity collaboration than in Yunnan? You have here about 5,000 species of wild flowers and plants. So, this is a perfect area to work in the fields of the protection of nature, protection of the environment, and the adaptation to climate change," said Guillaume Delvallee, consul general of France in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. SHOTLIST: Kunming City, Yunnan Province, southwest China - Recent 1. Various of flowers on display at 23rd Kunming International Flower Expo; 2. Board reading "International Flower Brand"; 3. Various of visitors, flowers on display; 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Laurent Mossan, business development director, Morel Flowers, France (starting with shot 3/partially overlaid with shot 5): "This year is the first time we are exhibiting in Kunming. So, it's a milestone for Morel. Among the few varieties we are introducing this year, one is called 'Petit Moulin.' It means 'small mill.' And the specificity of it is that it can flower more than 100 days."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 5. Pot with Petit Moulin flowers; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Various of visitors, flowers, exhibitors, booths; 7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese, dubbed in English) Li Shubin, rose breeding specialist, Yunnan Rose Breeding and Innovation Research Institute (partially overlaid with shot 8): "As of today, we have registered 295 rose varieties in China, ranking first nationwide. In 2024, our breeding scale exceeded one million seeds, the largest in the world. But it may still take three, five, or even more years for our products to gain international application before we can truly become strong."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 8. Various of visitors, flowers on display; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 9. Board reading "Netherlands Pavilion"; 10. Various of visitors, flowers, exhibitors, booths; 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Mads Jensen, general manager for Anthura Kunming in China (partially overlaid with shot 12): "We invest to grow double-digit growth year on year. Now we are building a new greenhouse to increase our plug production for anthuriums. And so far, we are very proud that together with growers, we can enter some of the national supermarket chains."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 12. Various of flowers; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 13. Various of flowers, visitors, exhibitors, booths; 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Guillaume Delvallee, Consul General of France in Chengdu (partially overlaid with shot 15): "Biodiversity, generally speaking, is one of the very strong topics today of Franco-Chinese collaboration, and where better to do biodiversity collaboration than in Yunnan? You have here about 5,000 species of wild flowers and plants. So, this is a perfect area to work in the fields of the protection of nature, protection of the environment, and the adaptation to climate change."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 15. Various of visitors, flowers, exhibitors, booths; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 16. Various of visitors, flowers, exhibitors, booths. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]