China signs participation contract to Expo Milano 2015

China formalized its presence at the Milan Expo 2015 on Tuesday with the signing of the participation contract in Italy's capital, Rome.

The contract was signed by Wang Jinzhen, Commissioner General of the Chinese Pavilion, and by the CEO of Milan Expo Giuseppe Sala, in the presence of the Chinese Ambassador to Italy Ding Wei and local officials.

The Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marta Dassu and the Commissioner General of the Milan Expo Roberto Formigoni attended the ceremony held at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. The Chinese participation had been announced in September 2011.

"We are confident that China will be a major player in the Milan Expo 2015," Sala said in his speech at the signing ceremony.

China's pavilion will stretch 4,590 square meters and will be in a "strategic position" of the Expo site, at the center of the World Avenue, "the long avenue crossing the site from east to west which will host the pavilions of the participating countries," he said.

One of the goals, the CEO added, will be to bring at least 1 million Chinese people per year to Italy, starting with Expo 2015.

"The great history of the World Expos, to which we are proud to have contributed with the Shanghai Expo 2010, continues with the Milan Expo 2015," Wang said.

"The World Expo is a unique exchange platform for promoting and enhancing social and economic cooperation among people from all around the world, starting from China and Italy," he added.

"Cooperation and development are crucial themes for our country, which is playing an increasingly fundamental role in the world," Ding said.

The Milan Expo will be a "great opportunity to make Chinese creativity and innovation known," the ambassador added, saying that he was confident that the Italian exposition will be "a success."

The Milan Expo will be organized from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2015 and will stretch 1.1 million square meters in the north-western part of the business capital.

The theme chosen for the Expo is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life," aimed at arousing awareness regarding the hunger challenge and fostering the commitment to the necessity of not wasting.

The exposition is expected to host 130 participant countries, of which 108 have already confirmed their presence, and attract more than 20 million visitors from all over the world.