Located in southwest China, the city is putting itself on display for the third annual meeting of the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) from April 17 to 19.

To prepare for the meeting, Chongqing has spent over 100 million yuan over the past eight months on new street lights, roadexpansion, afforestation and upgrading of conference facilities, according to local officials.

More than one million pots of flowers have been lined up in thecity's main streets. And the municipal government has mobilized 40,000 policemen for security work.

"It is a good thing for Chongqing to host such a big conferenceand as one of the citizens here I feel very honored," said Gong Jianhua, a local resident.

"The city is also a showcase of China's western areas which arenow undergoing drastic development," said a government official.

Chongqing is a major city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the only municipality in western China. It became a municipality five years ago.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2002)