Podcast
Shroud over show industry
Updated: 2010-04-20 13:33
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A huge ash cloud spreading from a volcanic eruption in Iceland since Friday is likely to deal a blow to China's exhibition industry, with a majority of flights in Europe still grounded on Monday.
April typically marks the beginning of the convention/exhibition season in the country, and Auto China 2010 - an annual exhibition for global auto giants to promote new cars that was slated to start on Friday in Beijing - now faces some uncertainty.
Senior managers from Europe were expected to arrive in Beijing no later than Thursday for the media day on Friday but now, nobody knows whether they can make it on time.
"I don't know how many of the European auto giants will finally show up on media day," said Zhang Hengjie, project manager of the international exhibition center, the show venue.
But the World Expo in Shanghai, scheduled to open in 11 days, will not be affected, organizers said.
European participants at the Expo, including those from Germany, Iceland, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic, said their pavilions will operate as scheduled for the soft opening on Tuesday.
Most foreign pavilions have working teams stationed in Shanghai.
But Jos Frches, French commissioner general of the Expo, who was scheduled to fly to Shanghai over the weekend, was still stranded in Paris because of the air traffic ban. Three designers for the France pavilion's VIP lounge are also stranded in the French capital.
"We can do nothing but wait," said Franck Serrano, director of the France pavilion.
Organizers of the Spring Session of the International Chamber of Commerce Banking Commission, said the event to be held on Wednesday in Beijing has been put off indefinitely.
Some European exhibitors will not make it to Tuesday's electronic exhibition NEPCON China in Shanghai, said Messy Mei, communications manager of Reed Exhibition, a Singapore-headquartered exhibition event organizer.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.
