BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhuanet) -- The First China-Arab States Expo will be held from Sept.15 to 19 in Yinchuan, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of NW China, the Information Office of the State Council said on July 17.

Themed "Arab and China jointly embrace the world", the expo will include forums, exhibitions and promotions in different fields including agriculture, energy, finance, culture, education, tourism.

It will invite Kuwait as the guest of honor to participate in a series of activities in an effort to promote bilateral China-Kuwait cooperation.

"The Hui people in Ningxia have a lot in common with the Arab people, such as culture, religious belief and customs, which will greatly facilitate bilateral cooperation." said Liu Hui, chairwomen of the People's Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Bilateral trade between China and the Arab nations totaled 222.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, a record-breaking high that saw an annual increase of 14 percent.

China-Arab States Expo was previously called China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which had been jointly held for three times since 2010 by Ministry of Commerce People’S Republic of China (MOFCOM), China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Ningxia regional government.