A popular pavilion

After an opening ceremony in the morning, the red-and-golden China Pavilion opened to welcome visitors who had been eagerly lining up in front of the gate.

Youssef Allam, an Egyptian boy, had been waiting patiently outside the pavilion with his family long before the doors opened. "This is the first pavilion I need to visit," said the 9-year-old who lives in Dubai.

"I watched some Youtube clips and got to know that there are a lot of cool exhibits about technology here," he said.

His father Hussein Allam said China is such an important country contributing greatly to the world in terms of economy and technology that the China Pavilion is a must-visit destination.

Dennis Ng, who is from China's Hong Kong and now works in Dubai, arrived at the China Pavilion with his wife and three sons right after entering the expo site.

"Today is our National Day, so it is especially meaningful for us to bring the kids to see the China Pavilion," he said.

China's National Day falls on Oct. 1 every year, coinciding with the opening of the expo this year.