KUNMING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 4,000 enterprises will participate in the Fifth China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, the organizer said Tuesday.

The expo, which kicks off Thursday, will feature a record 19 exhibition sections for enterprises from 87 countries and regions, as well as international organizations, said Gao Shuxun, director of the executive committee of the expo.

Among the 3,825 firms expected to participate in the event, 526 are from South Asia and 513 are from Southeast Asia.

Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the provincial government of Yunnan, the seven-day event will focus on international cooperation on business and investment, tourism, talent exchange, and connectivity, Gao said.

At the last Expo, the value of signed deals stood at 158 billion yuan (24 billion U.S. dollars).