A grand gala performance was held at the opening of the Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition in the northwestern Yanqing District of Beijing Sunday evening.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony and watched the performance.

Foreign leaders and special envoys from 11 countries, relevant international organizations’ chiefs, as well as exhibitors, horticultural experts, and entrepreneurs from home and overseas also attended the opening event and watched the spectacular performance.

The exhibitors will display their latest achievements in floriculture in the 503-hectare expo site at the foot of the Great Wall in Yanqing District.

Themed on Live Green, Live Better, the exhibition has attracted the participation of 110 countries and international organizations.

The 162-day expo, with over 2,500 events, is expected to see some 16 million visitors.

This is the second time for China to hold such a high-level horticultural exhibition. The southwestern Chinese city of Kunming held the first one in 1999.