BEIJING - Beijing's northern suburb district of Yanqing has stepped up efforts to promote the development of its modern horticultural industry, as 11 research institutes and 33 companies related to the field have settled down in the district, according to local authorities.

The district is hosting the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing, which opened to the public on April 29 and will last until Oct 7.

Local authorities said that five companies exhibiting their wares at the expo have recently based themselves in Yanqing, aiming to perform a leading role in fields including the research and development of soil matrix and germplasm resources.

Yanqing has laid down a series of policies to support horticultural enterprises, aiming to build a horticultural industry cluster.

The local government has also strengthened cooperation with universities and institutes to better utilize the research achievements.