Asia-Pacific Bonsai Festival 2015 kicks off in HCM City   Visitors to the festival (Photo: VNA) A large number of bonsai trees crafted by artisans across the country are being exhibited at over 100 booths at the Asia-Pacific Bonsai Festival 2015 which opened in Hoc Mon district, Ho Chi Minh City on June 5. President of the Vietnam Ornamental Creatures Association Vo Van Cuong said the event aims to provide a venue for local and international artisans to share their experience and promote trade links in the field. Different bonsai making techniques will be performed by local artisans and experts from around the world during the event. International delegations will visit ornamental gardens in the Mekong Delta provinces of Dong Thap, Tien Giang and Ho Chi Minh City, where the sector is strong. According to Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Tat Thanh Cang, ornaments and bonsais in particular are considered part of the city’s key hi-tech agriculture. The city has planned to increase the cultivation area of decorative trees to 6,000 hectares by 2020 and 9,000 hectares by 2025, generating an annual average revenue of at least 500 million VND (23,000 USD) per hectare and an export value reaching at least 100 million USD a year. The Asia-Pacific Bonsai Festival is held biennially for the Asia-Pacific Bonsai Friendship Federation (ABFF) which groups Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Taiwan (China), Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines. The fifth of its kind, this year’s festival will feature artisans from 16 countries and territories in the Asia-Pacific, including France, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.-VNA