The 2021 World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo (WWSE) will be held in the National Convention Centre and Shougang Park from September 2nd to the 7th. Internationalization is one of the highlights of the WWSE. How will this year's Expo present internationalization?

Themed "The Power of Ice and Snow", the WWSE 2021 will include various activities such as exhibitions, summit forums, business matchmaking, and special events to create an interconnected, comprehensive and integrated exposition. It will continue to focus on the three major principles of "internationalization, industrialization, and popularization". In terms of internationalization, Vice President of Asia Digital Group Zhang Li, the organizer of the Expo, said that despite the pandemic, the Expo will still ensure that international participants account for more than 50% of the total this year.

"The Expo will play the role of an ice & snow diplomat. The WWSE 2021 has invited globally influential guests from the International Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations, the United Nations, and over 20 leading countries in the world of ice and snow to participate. It has also invited related foreign enterprises."

This year's Expo will cover about 20,000 square metres, where more than 20 international forums and industry conferences will be held along with multiple trade negotiations and other supporting activities. It is expected that more than 500 domestic and foreign brands will participate and approximately 24,000 representatives from professional institutions will attend. Italy is this year's guest of honor country.

"Some Italian companies, institutions and organizations in China will participate in our activities, and local enterprises in Italy will join our Expo online. As the guest of honor country, the Italian pavilion will be the main highlight of the expo. It will showcase the country's ice & snow products and its attractions as a travel destination. Some Italian officials may attend our main forum and opening ceremony. Italy Day or Italian themed activities will be held. Experts from Italy will participate in our parallel forums."

Italy is one of the leading countries in winter sports and the host of the 2026 Winter Olympics. During the expo, Italian companies will have the opportunity to showcase the excellence of Italian productions for winter sports that are renowned for their technology, reliability and design.

"Meanwhile, the online and offline WWSE will be held in parallel, presenting an exchange platform that connects regions and countries. It will not only provide high-efficiency and high-quality live streaming for multiple parallel forums and on-site activities but also realize global interactivity by combining online and offline experience to create a 24-hour exchange and trade platform for the ice and snow industry. With a larger-scale offline expo and wider coverage of the online experience, the WWSE this year will further upgrade the capacity and productivity of the ice and snow industry, speeding up its recovery all over the world."