The China '99 Kunming World Horticultural Exposition has come to a successful end. We extend our warm congratulations to the successful world event and our heartfelt thanks to various countries around the world, to the people of the whole country and friends from home and overseas who have put in painstaking efforts for the success of the event!

The China '99 Kunming World Horticultural Exposition has come to a successful end. We extend our warm congratulations to the successful world event and our heartfelt thanks to various countries around the world, to the people of the whole country and friends from home and overseas who have put in painstaking efforts for the success of the event! Yunnan Province has decided that the Exposition is closed, but the Park continues to be open, the world horticultural park will be built into a permanent world park. Here we wish the world horticultural park will play host to more tourists and achieve still greater successes!

The 184-day-long world horticultural exposition demonstrates China's characteristics and the world's first-rate level of the Exposition. The Exposition, which drew in 95 participating countries and international organizations, is the largest among the past top-class world horticultural expositions. It attracted more than 9.4 million visitors from home and abroad and its influence has spread across five continents. At the carefully organized "Hall Day" Activities of participating countries and international organizations and "Provincial Week" activities of participating provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, more than 130 contracts on projects attracting investments were signed, involving a total amount of well over 14 billion yuan in investment and business volume. Hundred flowers were in full bloom inside and outside the park, signifying achievements in both material development and cultural and ethical progress. Specially worth mentioning is that achievements gained by the recent world horticultural exposition are the best in all past top-class horticultural expositions in terms of the speed of preparatory work, the area of land taken up by halls and sites, the number of outdoor show-gardens, the species of plants, and the category of rare plants. It has thus earned the high praises and favorable comments of the people in various circles at home and abroad, we can therefore take pride in and be proud of this.

The successful holding of the recent world horticultural exposition fully demonstrates the tremendous achievements gained in economic and social development since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is a concentrated expression of the determination of the Chinese government and people to respect, love and protect nature and their achievements gained in this aspect and in carrying out the basic national policy-the strategy for sustainable development. It has helped further establish a good image of China in the world, enhance mutual understanding between people of various countries and expand international friendship, exchange and cooperation.

Just as President Jiang Zemin has pointed out that the successful holding of the present world horticultural exposition has boosted the morale of the Chinese, fully demonstrated the great cohesive force, creative power and great fighting spirit of the Chinese nation and displayed our socialist country's superiority as manifested in its ability to concentrate efforts to do great things, and its high organizational and managerial capabilities. This year's world horticultural exposition organized by the Chinese government, which takes "man and nature marching toward the 21st century'' as the theme that contains a salient characteristic of the time, complies with the historical tide, represents the common wishes and demands of the people the world over and has struck an extensive responsive chord in their hearts. The successful convocation of the world horticultural exposition represents a great contribution China has made to protecting and improving the environment for the subsistence and development of all mankind.

The successful holding of the world event is the result of the united struggle of the people of the entire country, it has once again carried forward the national spirit of the Chinese nation featuring its determination to make continuous self-improvement, exert itself to make progress, forge ahead despite difficulties and offer selfless dedication. Yunnan Province, which undertakes the task of organizing the horticultural exposition, has exerted persistent and tenacious efforts and has thus earned honor for the motherland and the people. Relevant departments under the central government and participating provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, who stress political awareness, the interests of the whole and dedication, have given all-out support to the world horticultural exposition.

The world horticultural exposition has given us fresh enlightenment and set new demands on us. We should avail ourselves of the driving force of the world horticultural exposition to do the environmental protection work even better and, together with the people of the whole world, purify and beautify our living space and contribute our strength to producing a fine scroll of painting that describes the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, creating our beautiful paradise and promoting the healthy development of the world environment.

We should act on the instructions given by Comrades Jiang Zemin and other State leaders to build the world horticultural park into a world-famous park, a base for education in patriotism and a base for education in ecological protection and the popularization of scientific knowledge; we should make full use of the development opportunities provided by the world horticultural exposition and earnestly study local problem concerning opening to the outside world and developing characteristic economy.

The autumnal month of October is a season full of aspiration and hope. Let's join hands to build a better global homeland!