China is expected to make further extensive and intensive cooperation with international coal organizations and foreign coal-related companies, said a senior official at an industry expo on Wednesday.

"With improved scientific level, China's coal industry will communicate and cooperate more closely with its international counterparts, especially in new progress that will be achieved in energy technique cooperation with the countries along the Belt and Road Initiative," said Wang Xianzheng, chairman of the China National Coal Association, at the opening ceremony of the 17th China Coal & Mining Expo.

Held every two years, the China Coal & Mining Expo, one of the world's three largest international-level mining equipment exhibitions, is an important window to understand the trend of coal machine manufacturing technology at home and abroad.

With a large scale, high degree of internationalization and specialization, it also plays a positive role in improving the level of China's coal machine production.

With the theme of the exhibition, "Intelligent Manufacturing, Leading the Future", the expo attracted more than 18 countries, including the United States, Russia and Germany, and almost 400 companies to participate.

"In the past 30 years, the number of both participating countries and equipment styles of the expo increased," said Wang, adding that its cooperation results and international influence improved continuously during that time. "The expo is also an important platform for China's coal industry to develop international cooperation, helping to promote new coal mining equipment and new products."

The expo opened Wednesday and runs until Saturday at the Beijing International Exhibition Center.