The first China-South Asia Expo will be held in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province from June 6 to 10, promoting economic and cultural cooperation among South Asian countries.

Upgraded to a national level from the South Asian Countries Trade Fair, which has taken place for the past five years, the expo will now be held annually in Kunming.

This year's event will feature think tank seminars, ministerial-level consultations and commodity fairs and will also run concurrently with the major China Kunming Import and Export Fair.

Li Jiheng, governor of Yunnan, which shares borders with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, said the expo is an important move for the country to step up economic and trade cooperation with South Asian and Indian Ocean countries and regions.