Chinese metropolises and their outstanding events like the Shanghai Expo "have become a symbol of modernity in a short time," said Roberto Formigoni, an Italian official.

Formigoni is the governor of Lombardy, a northern Italian region whose capital is Milan, the host city of the next World Expo in 2015.

"In the next days, I will treasure Shanghai's example," he said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Formigoni is to leave for China on Tuesday for a visit aimed at further strengthening exchanges between Lombardy and China at all levels.

The Lombardy delegation will take part in a ceremony for Milan to take over as the next World Expo host city.

"I recently heard that Shanghai Expo reached the record of one million visitors in one day, which tells China's extraordinary organization in managing such an impressive number of people," Formigoni said.

Formigoni said that the leading theme of the Milan Expo is "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" and that it will feature prominently openness to humanity and its cultures.

"We aim at speaking to the entire world, proving that it is possible to build a sustainable development with science and technology in the service of humanity," he said.

Lombardy has been for centuries a place of commerce and exchanges in the heart of the Po Valley and has always based its economic strength on good relations with foreign countries, Formigoni said.

The region's ongoing exhibition at the Shanghai Expo features a "wing" designed in the 15th century by Italian inventor Leonardo Da Vinci, which Formigoni said is a symbol of welcome.

He said Italy and China share a growing esteem of each other.

"Both countries feature an amazing millenary history behind them, which is at the origin of the reciprocal deep interest," he said.

"We were among the first to realize the necessity of building a strong relationship with China when the Asian country changed gear, accelerating its economic growth," he said, referring to a trip to China back in 1980s.

China is now Lombardy's fourth largest trade partner, with bilateral trade worth a total of 9.3 billion euros (12.9 billion U.S. dollars) last year. Some 30,000 Chinese people live in Lombardy, managing about 9,251 companies, according to Lombardy's Union of Chambers of Commerce.

The region is also celebrating an ongoing Chinese Culture Year, Formigoni said, adding that he has given full support to China's consulate in Milan for a series of joint initiatives.