Expo Metro tunnels completed

Workers celebrate as the tunnels for the Metro Expo line, part of Line 13, were completed yesterday.

Workers celebrate as the tunnels for the Metro Expo line, part of Line 13, were completed yesterday.

The tunnels for the exclusive Metro line for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo ticket holders and staff, were completed yesterday, the builder announced.

The Metro line will link Shanghai's landmark entertainment center, Xintiandi, to the Expo zone with a short train ride.

Part of the under-construction Line 13, the link will have the only station inside the Expo zone in Pudong.

The company said it has spent 1.34 billion yuan (US$196 million) on the 5-kilometer line that takes in five stations: Danshui Road, Madang Road and Lupu Bridge on the Puxi side and the Expo site and Changqing Road in Pudong.

But for security reasons only the Madang Road and Expo site stations will be open for the exclusive use of Expo ticket holders and accredited personnel.

The Madang Road Station, only a couple of minutes' walk away from Xintiandi, will function as a major entry point to the Expo site.

"Expo ticket holders will have to go through a complete security check before being allowed into the Madang Road Station as they will be in the center of the Expo site in Pudong once they get off the trains," said company manager Ke Minggang.

Expo passengers may also be able to exit only at the Lupu Bridge Station to visit the Puxi side of the Expo site.

Expo ticket holders don't need to pay to use the Expo Metro.

Trains will be tested on the line at the end of the year, said the builder.

The tunneling work started in January. The tunnels got as close as 7 meters to old residential buildings near the Danshui Road and Madang Road stations but no damage to the houses had been reported, the company said.

The Line 13 project started in December last year. The first phase will run for about 21 kilometers through Jiading, Putuo, Zhabei and Jing'an districts with 19 stations and will open after the World Expo finishes.

Senior legislator inspects Expo site

Hua Jianmin, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, learns about the Expo's master plan.

Hua Jianmin, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, is given a progress report on the Expo's preparation.

Hua Jianmin takes a bird's eye view of the Expo site.

The organizers of the 2010 World Expo yesterday delivered a progress report to Hua Jianmin, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The senior Chinese legislator also inspected the Expo site and was told that the interior decoration and display preparations of the China Pavilion will start at the end of this month, which is ahead of schedule.

The Expo has attracted 192 countries and 48 international organizations thus far. Meanwhile, it has also confirmed more than 50 exhibits for the Urban Best Practices Area as well as 17 corporate pavilions.

Construction on the Expo's five permanent structures - China Pavilion, the Performance Center, the Expo Center, Expo Boulevard and the Theme Pavilion - will finish by the year's end.

Shanghai Vice Mayor Yang Xiong; Yang Dinghua, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of Shanghai People's Congress; and Zhong Yanqun, fulltime deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee, were present during the visit.

Finland Pavilion to provide sauna experience

an artist's rendition of the Finland Pavilion

an artist's rendition of the Finland Pavilion

Finland Pavilion will include a 100-square-meter sauna, which is only open to the pavilion's sponsors, while a detailed plan is in the works to introduce a typical Finnish sauna to the public, Pertti Huitu, Finland's commissioner general for the Expo, has revealed.

It is the only pavilion that will have sauna facilities at the 2010 Expo. Labeling Finland as a "sauna country" as the concept originated in the nation, Huitu on Tuesday said his team is working on a plan that would familiarize visitors with the sauna concept.

The three-floor building "Kirnu" will be surrounded by a lake that appears to float on the water. It has the slogan "Sharing Inspiration." The pavilion's design was inspired by nature, Huitu said.

Huitu said the shape of the exhibition hall on the second floor is unique and will "offer plenty of possibilities to surprise" visitors. According to the artist's rendition of the pavilion, the hall is circular-shaped, and Huitu mentioned that visitors won't see the end of all the segments and the exhibition is a unit which can't be divided into different parts.

He said the exhibit will involve a lot of interaction, but declined to disclose details on the design or any highlight as he hoped to keep it "secret to the last minute."

Finland is designing a comprehensive cultural program to promote Finnish music, especially the music for the younger generation of Expo 2010 visitors, Huitu said. On the list are jazz, opera, ballet, symphony, children's drama and some classical types of music.

A Shanghai company and a Finnish company have already been chosen to form a joint venture responsible for the operation of the cafeteria, and their names will be announced in September, according to Huitu.

Well-being, competence and the environment are the three key words of the Finnish showcase.

The piling and groundwork on the pavilion has been completed, and construction will end in November.

Expo Shanghai Online begins video promotion

A promotional video on Expo Shanghai Online, a Shanghai World Expo innovation, is aired.

A promotional video on Expo Shanghai Online, a Shanghai World Expo innovation, is being aired at 53 airports nationwide as well as on flights of some 12 Chinese airlines.

Airports in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou have all geared up for the promotion. The video features three digital pictures to inform people about Expo Shanghai Online, which will offer visitors a virtual tour of Expo pavilions on the Internet.

It is an online extension and supplement of the real Expo.

Expo Shanghai Online has clinched its domain name at www.expo.cn, and a trial version will go live within the year.