2016 is a critical period for China to implement the "13th Five-Year Plan" and build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. It is an important stage for implementing the spirit of the Central Urban Work Conference, and also an important year for joining hands with the international community to jointly promote new urbanization and green development. The "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" adopted by the United Nations proposes the goal of building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities. China's Central Urban Work Conference, held after a 37-year gap, clearly defined the focus of work for the coming period, pointing out the need to improve the level of urban planning and construction, strengthen urban design, promote ecological restoration and urban repair, accelerate the construction of sponge cities and integrated utility tunnels, advocate resource recycling, optimize urban transportation, improve the urban governance system, enhance urban management, and solve prominent problems such as urban diseases.

Based in Central Plains and radiating across the country, the China (Zhengzhou) International Sponge City and Underground Integrated Utility Tunnel Construction and Development Exhibition will be grandly held from May 19 to 21, 2017 at the Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center. This exhibition aims to implement the guiding spirit and implementation opinions of the "Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting Sponge City Construction" (Guo Ban Fa [2015] No. 75), the "Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting Urban Underground Integrated Utility Tunnel Construction" (Guo Ban Fa [2015] No. 61), the "Implementation Opinions of the General Office of the People's Government of Henan Province on Promoting Sponge City Construction" (Yu Zheng Ban [2016] No. 73), and the "Implementation Opinions of the General Office of the People's Government of Henan Province on Promoting Urban Underground Integrated Utility Tunnel Construction in the Province" (Yu Zheng Ban [2016] No. 39), aiming to accelerate the work of governments at all levels in promoting sponge cities, underground integrated utility tunnels, and ecological garden city construction and development, and to provide a grand feast of display and exchange, promotion and trading, and business cooperation for industry colleagues, government authorities, and domestic and foreign experts and scholars.