Haikou, Hainan, China, September 19, 2024 – Shaoren Gou, World Chinese Media –On the morning of September 19, 2024, the press conference for the 2024 Agarwood & Rosewood International Conference (hereinafter referred to as “the Conference”) was held in Haikou. Journalists from local and national media outlets, government officials, as well as representatives from the event’s organizers, co-organizers, and key companies from the agarwood and rosewood industries in Hainan and beyond, attended the press conference.
During the event, the organizing committee provided an overview of the preparations for the Conference. The 2024 Agarwood & Rosewood International Conference is co-hosted by Hainan Daily Media Group and the China Collectors Association, with joint support from the National Innovation Alliance for the Agarwood Industry under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the Hainan Association of Folk Artists. The Conference has been officially approved as a major provincial exhibition project for 2024 by the Hainan Provincial Government.
Chaojian Ong , Vice Publisher & General Manager of Hainan Daily Media Group, highlighted the significance and objectives of the Conference in his speech. He noted that agarwood and rosewood are not only among the six key industries of Hainan (“Six Trees”: Coconut, Rubber, Areca Nut, Agarwood, Rosewood, and Oil Tea), but they also possess high economic and cultural value. As cultural symbols with distinct Hainan characteristics, the Conference serves as an important initiative by the Hainan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government to promote the development of these industries. Hainan Daily Media Group will leverage its strengths as a provincial-level media outlet and a state-owned cultural enterprise to ensure the successful organization of the event, provide strong media support, and contribute to promoting cultural dissemination, industry growth, and collaboration.
Jiang Chen, a representative of the China Collectors Association, emphasized that this Conference is not only a major event for the collection industry but also a key platform for promoting Chinese culture to the world. The Conference will promote the healthy development of the agarwood and rosewood industries while facilitating the global spread of Chinese cultural heritage. The China Collectors Association, as a co-host, will organize a range of activities including high-end forums, professional workshops, and exhibitions of premium agarwood and rosewood products, providing participants with a comprehensive platform for exchange and cooperation.
National Innovation Alliance of Agarwood Industry of State Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Hainan Association of Folk Artists, as joint organizers, will host sub-forums on the themes of innovation in the agarwood industry and the development and preservation of agarwood and rosewood culture.
Leaders from the Hainan Provincial Department of Commerce, Department of Tourism and Culture, and Federation of Literary and Art Circles also attended the press conference. They expressed that the Conference is not only a platform for showcasing and exchanging agarwood and rosewood culture but also an important opportunity for promoting the development of these industries. In recent years, with the strong support of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, the agarwood and rosewood industries in Hainan have achieved rapid growth. The Conference will create a platform for industry exchange and collaboration, leveraging the gathering effect of the exhibition to showcase Hainan’s unique culture and promote the province's free trade port construction. This aligns with the provincial government’s policies to support distinctive industries and holds significant implications for Hainan's cultural preservation, economic growth, and industry cooperation.
The Conference is scheduled to take place from November 29 to December 1, 2024, at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center. The theme of the Conference is “Win-Win Cooperation: Building a New Global Framework for the Agarwood & Rosewood Industries.” The event will feature an opening ceremony, main forum, sub-forums, exhibitions, auctions, competitions, cultural activities, and special industry promotion events. Approximately 1,000 participants, including renowned academics, experts, and representatives from the Belt and Road Initiative countries, as well as industry professionals from around the world, are expected to attend. The Conference will serve as a platform for exhibition, publicity, trade exchange, and cultural interaction, leveraging the influence of a brand event to promote Hainan's industry policies and advantages, drive investment in Hainan’s cultural and tourism industries, boost the local economy, and enhance the city’s brand image while supporting the construction of Hainan’s free trade port.
The Conference will also feature nearly 20 carefully curated forums and cultural sharing activities, covering key topics of interest within the industry and providing diverse insights for attendees. These activities are expected to offer valuable perspectives and suggestions for the future development of the agarwood and rosewood industries.
Distinguished experts and scholars, including academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, professors from Peking University, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and representatives from various academic and cultural institutions, have been invited to participate in the Conference. Guests from Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, France, Japan, and other countries will also attend.
The exhibition will cover approximately 15,000 square meters, equivalent to about 500 international standard booths. As of now, 80% of the exhibition spaces have been booked, with 115 participating companies, including 35 specialized exhibitors, accounting for 70% of the total exhibition area.
One of the highlights of the Conference will be the “National First Agarwood Auction,” scheduled to take place on December 1. The auction will feature over 130 items, including raw agarwood materials, antique incense utensils, and premium incense products, with an estimated value exceeding 100 million yuan.
In addition, the Conference will host a national incense competition, with over 500 entries already submitted and more than 1,000 submissions expected in total.
Other key activities include an awards ceremony, high-end fragrance appreciation sessions, private gatherings on the beauty of rosewood, the 2024 “Global Shopping Festival,” cultural performances, and a “Scent Journey” site visit.
The press conference concluded with a strategic cooperation signing ceremony and the awarding of official designations to co-organizers.