Open from April 29 to Oct. 7 at the foot of the Great Wall in northwest Beijing’s Yanqing District, the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 is expected to draw crowds from all over the world. Here are five highlights expected from this year's exhibition.

The China Pavillion (Photo courtesy of Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau)

This year, the exhibition has the highest expected attendance of countries and international organizations in the global event’s history, where people can visit over 100 indoor and outdoor gardens.

The exhibition will unveil the latest 5G network applications in telemedicine, self-driving technology, unmanned logistics, drone and other sectors, said Ye Dahua, deputy director of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition Coordination Bureau, adding that visitors will experience outstanding service provided by robotic lecturers, robotic baristas and robot vacuums on site.

The expo showcases an eco-friendly architectural philosophy and a green lifestyle, and the landmark China Pavilion is an example of the concept.

Covering an area of 23,000 square meters, the pavilion is a semi-circular dome-shaped building surrounded by mountains and rivers. The major exhibition halls are covered with terraces laden with grain products and ornamental plants.

With a rainfall collection system on the roof and rainwater storage underground, collected and processed rainwater can be used for irrigation, while 1,024 photovoltaic panels on the steel roof have been installed to increase light energy absorption.

Visitors can also enjoy a cultural feast with a range of activities throughout the expo, including a light show under the theme of forest which integrates technologies such as VR, AR and human-computer interaction.

Transportation support capability is another highlight for the expo this year. More Line S2 trains, a local railway linking Beijing North Station and Yanqing District, and eight bus routes connecting downtown Beijing to the expo site are ready for the event, said Wu Shijiang, deputy head of the district. Additionally, 10 parking lots with over 22,000 parking spaces will be available for visitors.

The expo will also showcase gardening cultures from various countries, with nearly 50,000 original trees at the site, and 50,000 trees and 120,000 shrubs newly planted.