"Culture is also really a good way of drawing people together," he said. "With a lot of negative things going on, events like the expo bring different voices in one place like Hangzhou and foster better communication."

Themed "Creative Hangzhou, Connecting World", the annual Hangzhou Cultural and Creative Industry Expo has attracted exhibitors from 68 countries and regions this year, with 550 international brands presenting their products. Of those, 70 percent are making their debut in China, according to the organizers.

"It is really important that we travel and make exchanges around our cultural identity, share our rich culture, and learn about other people's culture," said Róisín de Buitléar, an Irish visual artist who is visiting Hangzhou for the first time and focusing her works on the environment.