With "Guests gather at the grand gathering, top-quality products assemble at the West Lake Expo" as the theme, the West Lake Expo lasted for only 22 days, but attracted 5,737,200 visitors from home and abroad. The grand opening ceremony, the wonderful exhibitions, the forums attended by many experts, the fireworks show attracting hundreds of thousands of people, the food festival with waves of people flow, the contest of singing and dancing rich in folk features, and the "West Lake Singing and Dancing" parade, leave people with beautiful and deep impressions. The Expo boasted 23 professional exhibitions with 7,034 booths, attracting over 2,500 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions. During the West Lake Expo, the trading volume totaled 6.961 billion RMB yuan. The investment of the projects with foreign investment amounted to 13.73 billion RMB yuan, with the foreign investment of 311 million USD.
                                     
The West Lake Expo in 2000 incorporated exhibitions, exchanges, trade, workshops, tourism and cultural activities. Based on Hangzhou's advantages in its resources and industries, the Expo arranged 39 exhibitions, conferences and other events, with colorful contents as well as distinctive regional and professional features. Meanwhile, it displayed professionalism in a wide range of events. The events include China International Tea Trade Fair and China International Design and Silk Fair, which embody unique national features and enjoy some fame at home and abroad; the electric audio and video equipment exhibition, the electric household appliance and IT product and environmental protection and technology exhibition, which are geared to the latest hi-tech development in the world, and in some products of which China enjoys advantages and has developed a significant market; China Tourism Trade Fair, the First China Exhibition of Masterworks of Contemporary Arts & Crafts, Best Residential Environment Expo, as well as exhibitions of cultural relics, inscriptions and calligraphy, urban sculptures, mail products and artworks, which are in compliance with the humanity and geographical environment, historic and cultural features and the momentum for the development of the city; exhibitions of leisure and entertainment equipment, automobile and motorcycle, locks, furniture, toys and gifts, consumer goods from sister cities, which can increase domestic demand and is new growth points of consumption.

Sponsored by China National Tourism Administration, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, China Council for the Promotion International Trade, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circle and China National Light Industry Council, organized by Hangzhou Municipal People's Government, supported by Hong Kong Trade Development Council was staged in Hangzhou on October 20-November 10, 2001, lasting for 22 days. The Expo boasted 46 exhibitions, conferences, cultural and tourism events, achieving a great success. Qiao Shi, former Member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC; Wang Guangying, Jiang Zhenghua and Cheng Siwei, Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of NPC; Chen Muhua, former Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of NPC; Li Guixian, Chen Jinhua and Jing Shuping, Vice Chair of CPPCC; Wang Fang, former State Councilor; Minister of the Ministry of Public Security; officials from departments of the central government, People's Armed Police Headquarters, sponsors and supporters of the West Lake Expo; delegates from Zhejiang Province, other cities in China and overseas sister cities, guests from home and abroad and other visitors totaling 6.06 million were present at the West Lake Expo.

The 2001 West Lake Expo centered around the goal to "construct the West Lake Expo into a platform for developing the convention and exhibition industry, a carrier for the cultural and ideological progress and a festival of the people in Hangzhou" and "a famous brand in Zhejiang and even in China", pursuing "excellence" in the "broad" and displaying the concept of quality expo and humanity features. It was further open up to the outside world in the context of economic globalization, making itself more international; it attracted not only visitors, but investments, giving prominence to the role of the convention and exhibition industry in facilitating the development of the national economy and other relevant industries.

The 2001 West Lake Expo attracted the attention of the world. Media from home and abroad focused on Hangzhou, publicizing the West Lake Expo with unprecedented intensity and momentum. Over 800 journalists from 300-odd media from home and abroad came to Hangzhou for interviews and reports, with the number of reports totaling more than 6,000 (including photos). National media, such as CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, China National Radio, Economic Daily, China Radio International, China Daily issued nearly 400 reports. Media from 14 countries and regions, including US, France, Canada, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macao reported on the West Lake Expo. Over 100 media from other provinces and cities in China reported intensively on the Expo, with more than 1,000 reports.  The West Lake Expo website was clicked by 6.48 million person-times, with the maximum daily clicks reaching 0.37 million person-times. The long reports with much information and high density displayed Hangzhou's image to the nation and even the rest of the world, further enhancing the brand of "the West Lake Expo".

The 2002 West Lake Expo consisted of formal projects and 8 support projects. The organizers centered around the overall requirements to "successfully hold the West Lake Expo to welcome the 16th Party's National Congress", and to "demonstrate Hangzhou's charm and establish Zhejiang's image", giving prominence to the theme of "Gather at the West Lake Expo, Share Progresses" while preparing for and staging the Expo. Businessmen attended the exhibitions, experts gathered at the conference, and people were enthusiastic about the events. This fully displayed Hangzhou's new image in the new century, and popularized Hangzhou's humanistic spirit featured by "elegance, harmony, grandeur, and openness".

Before the Expo opened, 35 roads in the city proper were renovated comprehensively, illegal buildings demolished, the green land increased by 5.4 million square meters. Leifeng Pagoda and the Drum Tower were reconstructed, Wansong Academy of Classical Learning opened to the public, the scenic spots on the south of West Lake opened to visitors, Xinyifang Commercial Street and Wulin Road Fashionable Women's Wear Street pub into operation and 10 rivers, including the Xinkai River, renovated, constructing a brand new environment in the city. Hangzhou was presented to the world with its most beautiful image.

The 2003 China Hangzhou West Lake Expo paid great attention to displaying its unique features and made innovations in project management, operation mechanism and market promotion, fulfilling the goal of ever improving. Visitors directly participating in the events and activities of the Fifth West Lake Expo amounted to 6.4158 million person-times.

After the SARS epidemic, health and safety have become the new focus of people's attention. This West Lake Expo placed "health and safety" in a prominent place and put forward the goal of "making a surefire plan and ever improving". We have got a new overall plan, arranged new contents and forms, and organized a series of forums, exhibitions and activities on environmental protection, ecological construction, medicine and healthcare, sports and body-building. The department of public health was newly established among the working bodies of the Organizing Committee, working plans and emergency response plans on public health were formulated, effectively enhancing public health management. Efforts were also made for disease prevention and control, healthcare and medical emergency treatment. During the West Lake Expo, Hangzhou enjoyed social and political stability, good public security and traffic order. Each activity is held safely and in order.

The 2003 West Lake Expo increased its efforts in market operation and business management to explore resources, create business opportunities and raise funds. Based on classification and integration of all kinds of resources, market operation was conducted with open bidding. By using the business opportunities provided by the West Lake Expo, funds were raised through various channels. Through the cooperation with financial institutions, real estate enterprises, industrial and commercial enterprises and media groups, brand resources, publicity resources and project resources were made eligible for market operations, with their values realized. The events of the West Lake Expo and the naming rights of the activities were used as the carrier to display enterprises' images and promote brands, such as "Wahaha" West Lake Carnival, "GoTone" West Lake International Fireworks Show, "Evening of Liqun" Performance Party, "Dahongying" Rose Wedding Ceremony, "Tongyi Cup" Triathlon, Exhibition of "Xiangyi" China Famous Snacks, and "Red Rock" Paradise Wine Party. By selling the naming rights and raising fund through advertisements, the Expo was financed by itself and achieved the inner balance.

The 2003 West Lake Expo held a series of conventions and exhibitions on superb culture tastes, reflecting silk vogue, fashionable garments, delicacy culture, tea culture, stamp collection culture and so on, which demonstrated the outlook of China's historic and cultural city. The exhibition of craftsmanship and art, the exhibition of posters, the computer festival, the special exhibition of cultural relics and top-notch artistic works displayed masterpieces in culture, science and technology. The CATV Technology Conference, Informatization Forum: International CAD and Concept Design Academic Conference, provided opportunities for exchanges on the latest digital technology, discussions on the combination of information technology and industrial design so as to promote the development of the advanced manufacturing industry. The Week for Science and Technology Cooperation, the Prestigious Teachers and Principals Forum, International High Education Forum, Fudan Management Forum, Talents Fair, explored issues, such as the internationalization of higher education in the new century, educational management and training, educational cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta, management of modern corporate, thus creating a platform for entrepreneurship. The participants for the conferences and forums during the Expo totaled 119,400 person-times; members of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, famous experts and scholars from 22 countries and regions amounted to 866; publishing and exchanging 1,049 papers. There were 11,469 standard booths in trade exhibitions, up by 30.6% over the previous year, with the visitors totaling 2.0613 million, among which there were 2,371 international booths with 289,900 specialized visitors. 

With "Life and Entrepreneurship" as the theme, the 2004 West Lake Expo arranged 55 exhibitions, conferences, recreation, sports, business and tourism activities. Qiao Shi, former Member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC; Li Tieying and Jiang Zhenghua, Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of NPC; Zhang Huaixi, Vice Chair of CPPCC; officials from relevant departments of the central government, sponsors and supporters of the West Lake Expo; officials from Zhejiang Province and Hangzhou, delegates from other cities in China and overseas sister cities, guests from home and abroad and citizens totaling 6.72 million were present at the West Lake Expo.

In the principle of constructing "a platform for developing the convention and exhibition industry and attracting investments, a carrier of cultural and ideological progress, and a festival for the ordinary people and the tourists from home and abroad", the 2004 West Lake Expo adopted the attitude of being realistic and pragmatic, kept the pace with the times, making new breakthroughs and progresses. The West Lake Expo arranged a series of events on economic and trade cooperation, science and technology cooperation, capital market operation, promoting innovations in industries. The Expo promoted Hangzhou's humanistic spirit featured by "elegance, harmony, grandeur, and openness", becoming an important means to construct a harmonious society. The people in Hangzhou carried forward the spirit to be the master of the city and "to be a good host, to stage outstanding West Lake Expo", departments and units at the municipal level bore the overall interest in mind and made concerted efforts.  Over 4,000 volunteers "spared no efforts to serve the West Lake Expo", promoted new exemplary practices with their concrete actions. The officers and soldiers of the army stationed in Hangzhou carried forward outstanding practices, making important contributions for the construction of their second hometown. The 2004 West Lake Expo put safety in an important position. Officials of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government listened to reports on work progress of the West Lake Expo for many times; officials of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government made many on-site visits to inspect and guide the work there.

The conferences and exhibitions of the 2004 West Lake Expo simplified their opening ceremonies, thrifty in staging the events, bring about convenience but not trouble to the people. A total of 600 buses were organized to enable people to participate in the opening ceremony of the Expo; the carnival specially organized performances for the handicapped; the West Lake Book Fair provided free access for holders of Certificate for the Disabled, Certificate for the Senior Citizen and Certificate for the Veteran. When the events were staged, efforts were made not to occupy the roads or blockade them. Policemen "did two jobs in one post", maintaining the order and providing guidance and service.

The 2005 West Lake Expo continued to display its three major features: tourism, culture and humanity, giving prominence to the theme "Harmonious Life, Harmonious Entrepreneuring" and build the fame as "Oriental Leisure Capital". It arranged 48 conventions, exhibitions and activities, which were more international, professional and famous in brand.

Centering on the theme "Harmonious Life, Harmonious Entrepreneuring", the West Lake Expo consisted of conferences and exhibitions in various forms, with colorful contents. Apart from regular programs such as the automobile exhibition, the bicycle exhibition, the exhibition of craftsmanship and art, the furniture exhibition, the art exposition, the talents fair, the silk fair and the exposition of stores of long standing, the 10 newly added projects injected new elements into the West Lake Expo: including "the Exhibition of Perfume and Cosmetics" which integrated fashion with classics; "the Exhibition of Scientific and Technological Life" which displayed the new trend of technological life; "the Exhibition of Folk Handmade Artworks" which provided an exchange platform for the development of folk craftsmanship; and "the Exhibition of Home Decoration and Construction Materials" which was included in the West Lake Expo for the first time. In addition, in the context of the development of LOFT originality industry, "LOFT Forum" was held for the first time, during which research and discussion on independent innovation and its sustainable development were conducted, together with the on-spot demonstration. With "Derlook" as the spot, "Home Decoration Forum" invited world-renowned home decoration designers to discuss and research on the development trend of the home decoration industry; and at the same time, launch ceremonies on famous home decoration brands were held to present home decoration products of international top brands. During "the Thousand-Islet Lake Yacht Exhibition", held for the first time and matching with "World Lake Forum", trial driving and riding of yacht were held.

Cultural activities in 2005 were staged mainly in the form of high-grade cultural expos, so that people can appreciate the history, culture, and the essence of arts. Apart from its "three major exhibitions" on Chinese Seal, Chinese Calligraphy and Chinese Paintings, the Art Festival of Xiling Seal Engravers' Society also convened "The Solitary Hill ---- International Summit on Seal Study", and conducted activities of "Famous Scholars from Xiling Seal Engravers' Society Giving Lectures in Communities and Colleges" to improve people's participation. International Poster Biennial held in every two years is one of the poster exhibitions in the field of international plane design of highest academic standard, which exhibited 500 outstanding posters and demonstrated the international situation of poster design in the 21st century. Series special exhibitions of cultural relics in Zhejiang Museum presented "Series Special Exhibitions of Artworks of China's Temporary Famous Artists ---- Su Tianci Oil Painting Exhibition", and "Breaking Cocoon to Become Butterflies ---- Huang Binhong Landscape Painting Exhibition to Celebrate His 90th Birthday". The International Calligraphy Art Festival combined China's traditional calligraphy of running style with the modern calligraphy, and showed the humanistic mind of temporary calligraphers as well as the artistic proficiency of "modern calligraphy", so that China's art treasure could be open to the public. Summer camp of string orchestra provided an opportunity for non-governmental exchanges on music education. Orchestras from countries like Norway were invited to Hangzhou, and students majoring in music were organized to have various kinds of exchanges and present performance.

The First World Leisure Expo and the 8th West Lake Expo is the expo which has the largest scale, lasts for the longest time, is the most influential, attracts the most participants and enjoys the highest exposition standard. It is a grand festival featured by "people-first, openness, virtue and safety", and promotes the construction of "harmonious Hangzhou". During 180 days, 233 large-scale conferences, exhibitions and activities were successfully staged, and the "three grand goals" fulfilled: the increase in the number of domestic and foreign visitors, in the value of the attracted investment from overseas and in the value of trade transaction.

A grand gathering putting people-first. We had all along been adhering to the principle of "holding exhibition for people, by people and having people enjoy the exhibition achievements", relying on people's participation, and displaying humanistic care. Grand events, such as the Opening Ceremony of the World Leisure Expo, Fireworks Show of the West Lake Expo, sent 12,000 tickets free of charge to people of straitened circumstances, disadvantaged groups and migrant workers. "The Xianghu Lake, the World Leisure Expo Garden, the Oriental Cultural Park and Hangzhou Amusement Park" received visitors totaling over 1.4 million person-times free of charge. Hangzhou received 20.4 million tourists during the West Lake Expo and exhibitions received 27.6 million visitors totally. This historical grand gathering provided a great number of job opportunities, opportunities to make one's own undertakings, market and business opportunities and joyful time, which made this World Leisure Expo and West Lake Expo a grand gathering of people first, "a ready source of money" to people, a festival to Hanghzhou citizens, migrant workers and tourists both from home and abroad, and finally promoted the construction of "harmonious Hangzhou".  

A grand gathering of development. With "Leisure changes people's life" as the theme, the World Leisure Expo popularized leisure concepts, promoted leisure life, led the leisure trend, formulated World Leisure Hangzhou Consensus, thus witnessed the arrival of "the First Year of the Leisure Era" and enhanced people's living quality. The successful holding of this World Leisure Expo and West Lake Expo promoted the development of "the Xianghu Lake, the World Leisure Expo Garden, the Oriental Cultural Park and Hangzhou Amusement Park", enhanced the comprehensive protection projects of West Lake, Xixi and Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal as well as the construction of "Top Ten Leisure Bases", drove the balanced development of the regional economy and society, realized the dramatic upgrading and development of the convention and exhibition industry and the leisure industry in Hangzhou, facilitated the shift of Hangzhou's tourism from domestic travel as "the dominant wheel" to "two wheels": domestic tourism and inbound tourism, from sightseeing as the only main traveling means to the integration of sightseeing tourism, convention and exhibition tourism and leisure tourism, and thus "the Oriental Leisure Capital" has become Hangzhou's "gold name card".

A grand gathering open to the outside world. We had persistently adhered to the principle of "holding the expo in an open manner", and innovate the ways for hosting the expo. Apart from the main conference halls, major gardens and main venues, 10 sub-venues were also set up. Meanwhile, we had attracted 88 tourist leisure cities, organizations, organizations and 27 enterprises from 26 countries and regions to set up exhibition halls in "the Worldwide Hundred City Folkways Exhibition", making the World Leisure Expo and the West Lake Expo an "Expo with no enclosing walls" in the true sense. We adhered to the principle of "holding the expo with thrift", and endeavored to realize the integration of "three strengths", namely the leading strength of the government, the major strength of the enterprises, and the disposing strength of the market. We promoted thrift by being open to the outside world, raised funds through various channels for holding the Expo, and actively attracted overseas investments, with trade transaction value amounting to 13.7 billion RMB yuan, the contracted foreign investment 1 billion USD, and domestic investment 10.8 billion RMB yuan. As a result, we achieved good economic results and did a great deal for people without spending too much money.

A grand gathering of virtue. We had all along been taking the World Leisure Expo and the West Lake Expo as the carriers for cultural and ideological progress, and "To be a good host, to stage outstanding World Leisure Expo" as the theme. Combining the efforts to construct a model city, build China's best tourist city and welcome the reevaluation for a national sanitary city, we deepened the comprehensive campaign of strengthening environmental sanitation, consistently further the publicity and education of civilization and etiquette, organized 340,000 volunteers and over 2000 teams of community volunteers to provide services, led law enforcement agencies and "window" unit to implement laws and receive visitors politely to uplift the city's management level of "Four Modernizations", further improve city civilization and peoples' virtues and quality in Hangzhou, enhance Hangzhou's reputation and further promote the brand of "Capital of Etiquette, Humanistic Hangzhou".