Events and stories coming up in the next few days

High-tech expo to focus on sustainable development

The 20th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo will open in the capital on Thursday. The three-day event will cover sectors such as space flights and advanced manufacturing. The theme of this year's show is "Technology and Innovation Driven Sustainable Development". The annual event offers a platform for trade visitors to strike deals.

Report to look at Deng Fei's free-lunch initiative

Millions of left-behind children are facing hunger in rural China. In 2011, journalist Deng Fei set up the Free Lunch for Children Foundation, aiming to help children in vulnerable areas with free meals every day. The program has since gained support from governments and the public, benefiting millions of children in 26 provinces. Deng wants to expand the program further. In the coming days, China Daily will publish an in-depth report on the initiative.

Ningbo to host central and eastern European fair

The third China-CEEC Investment and Trade Expo will be held in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, from Thursday to Monday. Exhibitors from 16 countries will display their products and services at the Ningbo International Conference and Exhibition Center. Last year, trade between Ningbo and central and eastern Europe rose by 5.9 percent to $2.37 billion, according to the local commerce commission.

Scenic spots offer free tickets on heritage day

On Saturday, the nation will celebrate the first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, which aims to raise public awareness of protecting heritage sites. To mark the occasion, the government plans to give out 37,000 free tickets to scenic spots, including UNESCO World Heritage sites. China has 50 such sites, the second highest number in the world.