by Xinhua writer Su Xiaopo

DUBAI, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, executive director of the Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, said that China's pavilion is expected to be one of the most engaging and visited pavilions at the exposition.

"We are very impressed by the China pavilion's design," he said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

The design of China Pavilion for Expo 2020 was unveiled on Wednesday in Dubai. Covering an area of 4,636 square meters, the China Pavilion will be one of the largest pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Mohammed Al-Ali said the China's pavilion will showcase all that is great about China including its rich cultural history, entrepreneurial spirit and advanced technological innovations that help define its place as a leader on the world stage.

"As well as exploring past Chinese inventions that have had global impacts, we look forward to finding out about the country's future-shaping technologies that will be showcased during the Expo," he said.

Mohammed Al-Ali said that as the UAE's largest trading partner, China's participation is of significant importance to Expo 2020 Dubai.

"China is one of the most technology-advanced nations on the planet, so we look forward to seeing the innovations and technologies it will showcase at the Expo," he said.

China will also contribute to the Expo in a cultural way, as the country has a rich history that has long defined it as one of the most interesting and enthralling countries in the world, he added.

Mohammed Al-Ali noted that China's participation at Expo 2020 will be an outstanding opportunity for the country to work closely with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries from around the world to achieve the joint goal of creating a better future through collaboration.

He said that China and the UAE already have very close bilateral ties and their strong relationship is also reflected in soaring tourism figures.

"Chinese tourists -- who will be a significant market for Expo 2020 -- are the fourth largest source of visitors to Dubai, with 857,000 visiting in 2018," Mohammed Al-Ali said.

He also introduced preparation for the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.

"Construction is well advanced in all areas of the Expo 2020 site and all buildings continue to rise from the ground," he said.

"We were delighted to hear about the progress they are making in their preparations for the Expo. We continue to enjoy the ongoing ground-breaking ceremonies and pavilion design reveals by these countries, all of which are important milestones on the journey to Expo 2020," he added.

Expo 2020 Dubai will run from Oct. 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021. It will be the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region and is expected to receive around 25 million visits. A total of 190 countries and regions have confirmed their participation in the expo.