A groundbreaking ceremony for the China Pavilion during next year's World Expo 2025 in Osaka was held on Friday at the site in Japan, signifying a major step in China's participation at the event.

The China Pavilion is the first large-scale international self-built pavilion to break ground at the Osaka World Expo. It will also be one of the largest foreign self-built pavilions at the expo, covering an area of about 3,500 square meters.

Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said at the ceremony that China will use the pavilion to demonstrate China's profound and extensive culture and civilization, and showcase its achievements in building a Beautiful China — a development blueprint detailing specific targets for the nation's green and high-quality development objectives.

"The pavilion will elucidate the concept of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and promote the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind," Ren said.

China's Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao said China and Japan's collaboration on the expo rests on a sound foundation. "I hope the Osaka World Expo can serve as a favorable opportunity to foster cultural exchanges and deepen mutual understanding between the people of the two nations."

The China Pavilion aims to showcase modern Chinese civilization and the country's developmental achievements, presenting an open, inclusive and amicable image of China, and contributing to the building a community with a shared future for humanity, Wu said.

Nearly 200 representatives from relevant government institutions, media outlets and businesses from both China and Japan attended the groundbreaking ceremony held at the expo site in Osaka.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura said the year 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Osaka and Shanghai.

World Expo 2025 is scheduled to be held from April 13 to Oct 13 next year.