Tulips are often one of the first things that come to mind when people think of the Netherlands. Last Saturday therefore marked an extra special day in our country: National Tulip Day. On this day, the Netherlands officially celebrates the yearly opening of its Tulip Season in Amsterdam. The Dam Square in Amsterdam was transformed into a special tulip picking garden where visitors could pick flowers for free. This year, some of the 2 billion tulips that the Netherlands exports every year will have a special place in Beijing. After all, this year marks the Beijing World Horticultural Expo, opening in April and lasting for 6 months.
Of course, when discussing the relationship between China and the Netherlands in the horti-sector, the “Cathay” tulip is very well known. This tulip was named by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s wife Peng Liyuan when she visited the Netherlands in 2014. However, it’s not just Dutch tulips which find their way to China. In fact, the entire Dutch horticulture sector has strong ties with China and many Dutch partners for instance attend the yearly Horti China trade fair to expand their cooperation in the Chinese market. Moreover, there are many ongoing Sino-Dutch projects in for instance the field of greenhouses, vegetables or training of staff. All in all, the Dutch horticulture industry, symbolizing the Dutch innovative mindset and sustainable approaches, is widely renowned on an international level.
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In less than 100 days, the Beijing World Horticultural Exposition will open. The Netherlands will also take part by creating a special garden where visitors can experience the best of Dutch flowers and trees, combined with horticultural design, innovative sustainability solutions and diverse activities! More information on this uniquely Dutch garden will follow soon. However, if you can’t wait for this Horti Expo, you can also visit the indoor Spring Festival Flower Show of Zhao Quanying Beilang, which is being hosted in Beijing (Jan 25-Feb 25). The flower show, which opened today, is supported by Dutch partners and will include tulips and many other flowers. Without a doubt, the special Cathay tulip will surely be in the limelight here.
Source: Kingdom of the Netherlands