World Horti Center grants replication privilege to Shandong province authorities

Left to right: Li Guoxiang, Bouke Arends, Zhang Oingzhong and Puck van Holsteijn.

World Horti Center has struck a partnership agreement with the Chinese province of Shandong, which will see the building of a second World Horti Center outside Europe.

The Lord Mayor of Westland, Bouke Arends and deputy-mayor Li Guoxiang of Jinan put their signatures to the agreement on Friday 24 May.

The first Sino-Dutch World Horti Center will be realised in the province of Shandong in the foreseeable future. It will serve as a local hub for the more than 100, mostly Dutch, participants active in World Horti Center.

The partnership deal marks between Shandong and World Horti Center marks an important step as it puts Shandong on the map as horticultural heartland while it will also facilitate short lines between Chinese and Dutch counterparts in horticulture.

By signing the contract, the parties agreed to the future opening of a second World Horti Center outside Europe.

In the early months of 2023, the honour of opening the first overseas location went to South Korea, that primarily focuses on education and research.