Wang Jinzhen, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, speaks at a press conference in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Nov 2.

A press conference was held on Nov 2 in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, to promote China’s pavilion at the forthcoming Expo 2017 event, due to be held in Kazakhstan next year. Around 150 people attended the event at a local hotel, including representatives of energy companies, media organizations and government officials.

China’s attendance at Expo 2017 was confirmed by the State Council in August 2015, and the pavilion China will use for the event was handed over by Kazakhstan on Oct 31 of this year. With the pavilion handed over, China will now begin the work of constructing the different areas inside.

China’s pavilion will have five different exhibition areas and will have a theme of “future energy, the green Silk Road”. The pavilion will cover an area of 1000 square meters and will focus in particular on the achievements China has made in modernizing its energy sector, utilizing renewables, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable economic development.

Several large Chinese energy companies have already confirmed their attendance at the expo including China National Petroleum Corporation, State Grid Corporation of China, China General Nuclear Power Group, China Guodian Corporation, Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group and Golden Concord Holdings Ltd.

Also exhibiting will be local governments from a total of 23 provinces, cities and regions; setting a new record for local governments participating in an international expo.

During the expo more than 100 promotional activities covering the economy, culture, trade and tourism will take place, such as the China- Kazakhstan Energy Cooperation Forum.

“China Pavilion will display China's development achievements in the energy sector with a particular focus on solar energy and nuclear energy,” said Wang Jinzhen, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Expo 2017 is due to be hosted by Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan. A theme of “future energy” has been chosen for the event, with the 133-hectare site resembling the shape of a raindrop in order to remind visitors about the limited nature of the planet’s resources. The expo will run from June to September, with millions of visitors expected to attend the event. At present over 100 countries are expected to participate in the expo with each having their own pavilion. The organizers hope the expo will leave a lasting legacy of having raised awareness and encouraged debate about climate change.