President gets preview tour of pavilion

President Xi Jinping and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev visit a section of the Chinese national pavilion of the Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 8, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Astana 2017 organizers confirmed that 115 countries and 22 international organizations are attending.

The event runs from June 10 to Sept 10.

"This is the first time that China has given such a comprehensive introduction of its advanced technologies and ideas in energy utilization and sustainable development at an international event," said Wang, who also is deputy head of the China pavilion's organizing committee.

Construction of the pavilion began in January and was completed in May. It will host China's National Pavilion Day on July 5.

A series of activities, including a China-Kazakhstan energy cooperation forum and a tourism cooperation forum will be organized to promote the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Air China introduced direct passenger flights between Beijing and Astana last week to help promote the expo. The flights will leave three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Up to 42 Chinese students majoring in Russian studies had been chosen to work as volunteers at the pavilion. They are from 10 Chinese universities, including Beijing Foreign Studies University and Shanghai International Studies University.

"China was among the first countries to sign the exhibition agreement and was the first one to accept an exhibition pavilion," said Feng Yaoxiang, the international trade council's spokesman.