SHANGHAI - The China Pavilion Saturday welcomed its 8 millionth visitor since the Shanghai World Expo opened on May 1, according to pavilion staff.

Yue Ping (L), the 8 millionth visitor to the China Pavilion since the Shanghai World Expo opened on May 1, receives a gift from the pavilion, Oct 9, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

Yue Ping from Hong Kong was the "lucky visitor" and received a China Pavilion model weighing?10 kilograms as a souvenir amid drum music and dances at the first celebration ceremony thrown for "lucky visitors" at the China Pavilion.

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"China Pavilion was the first stop on my Expo visit and I feel so lucky," said Yue.

The model was made from leftover building materials using during the construction of the China Pavilion, so it is very meaningful and shows the efforts made to conserve resources, said Qian Zhiguang, deputy curator of the China Pavilion.

The China Pavilion is available to visitors by reservation only. Attendance has risen from the previous 30,000 visitors per day to 52,000 daily, said officials.

The total number of visitors to the China Pavilion is expected to hit 9.15 million on Oct 31 when the Shanghai World Expo closes.