国内英语新闻:International strawberry symposium opens in Beijing

BEIJING, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The seventh International Strawberry Symposium opened in northern Beijing Saturday with over 1,000 agri scientists from around the world exchanging latest technologies of strawberry cultivation.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu attended the opening ceremony of the symposium, scheduled from Feb. 18-22, in Changping district.

When visiting the Strawberry Expo Garden, Hui said boosting strawberry production with high technology is part of China's efforts to upgrade its agriculture sector and to help increase farmers' incomes.

The symposium is also a platform for the international exchanges and cooperation of agricultural technologies and efforts should be made to introduce more advanced technologies in the field from foreign countries to boost the modern agricultural industry in China, Hui said.

Initiated by the International Society for Horticultural Science in 1988, the International Strawberry Symposium is held every four years and is a high-level academic event showcasing the latest global high-tech achievements, production and development in the strawberry industry.

This year's symposium is the first time the event has been held in an Asian country.