Officials and representatives from China and Kazakhstan visit the paper-cutting (a Chinese folk art) exhibition at the site of Shanxi Week at the Astana Expo on July 7. [Photo/sxrb.com]

Shanxi Week of the China Pavilion themed "Future Energy, Green Shanxi" was unveiled on July 7 at the Astana Expo. Pavilion directors, officials from the Shanxi government, Chinese representatives in Kazakhstan and representatives from the government of Kazakhstan attended the opening ceremony.

Wang Jinzhen, government representative of the China Pavilion, hailed the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kazakhstan, saying that the Astana Expo provides China with excellent opportunities for the growth of economic and trade relationships between China, Kazakhstan and other nations.

The deputy governor of China's Shanxi province, Wang Yixin, addressed the ceremony saying that Shanxi, an important industrial and new comprehensive energy base, had enormous potential for cooperation with Kazakhstan due to the two countries strong complementary economies.

Sun Piwen, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan, said that Shanxi had been implementing a "go global" strategy in recent years, cooperating with several of Kazakhstan’s regions and making contributions to promoting the utilization of clean coal, new energy development and infrastructure construction.

Shanxi province and Pavlodar region both have a similar economic system. Shanxi delegation's visit to Pavlodar province last year marked the first step in cooperation between the two regions while Shanxi Week further deepened the partnership, said Bakauov Bulat, governor of Kazakhstan's Pavlodar province.

From July 1 to July 11, a series of exhibitions, seminars and city improvement campaigns were held, with the aim of showing the world a modern and revitalized Shanxi.