UK minister confident of Expo showcase

Lord Davies of Abersoch (center), United Kingdom's Minister for Trade, Investment and Business, and Fu Ying (right), Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, visit the under-construction UK Pavilion at the Expo site.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, United Kingdom's Minister for Trade, Investment and Business, and Fu Ying, Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, learn about the progress of the UK Pavilion.

Lord Davies of Abersoch, United Kingdom's Minister for Trade, Investment and Business, said in Shanghai today that he views the 2010 World Expo as a platform to "showcase British excellence and creativity."

He made the remarks this morning during a visit to the under-construction UK Pavilion at the Expo site.

"The United Kingdom is committed to having an outstanding entry at the Expo," Davies noted, adding that reducing the country's Expo budget has not been considered.

He also expressed confidence that the UK's display would be memorable. "I think the pavilion will be very impressive and exciting and visitors will love it," he said.

Fu Ying, Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Carma Elliot, British consul general in Shanghai, also visited the site with representatives from five British corporations — Diageo, BP, GKN, AstraZeneca and Barclays, which are sponsors of the pavilion.

The UK Pavilion will look like a huge "light box" with thousands of needle-like protrusions which will extend from the structure and quiver in the breeze.

During the day, each of these 7.5-meter long rods will act like fibre optic filaments, drawing on daylight to illuminate the interior, thereby creating a contemplative awe-inspiring space. At night, light sources at the interior end of each rod will allow the whole structure to glow.

Britain will also embed more than 60,000 seeds into the structure of its pavilion to urge people to protect natural species from extinction.

Construction on the pavilion began in March.

Senior NPC official visits Expo exhibition

Chen Zhili, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, visits the ongoing World Expo 2010 exhibition at Capital Museum in Beijing.

Chen Zhili, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, visits the ongoing World Expo 2010 exhibition at Capital Museum in Beijing.

Chen Zhili, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, on Wednesday said China's hosting of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Shanghai World Expo 2010 had "historical significance."

She made the comment while visiting the ongoing World Expo 2010 exhibition at Capital Museum in Beijing.

She was interested in the models of the 60 pavilions on display at the exhibition. The vice chairwoman also learned about the master plan of the Expo.

The exhibition ends tomorrow.

Meanwhile, overseas staff from the Embassy of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay in China, Embassy of the Republic of Costa Rica in China, and Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas in China also visited the exhibition on Wednesday.

Former Chinese vice premier visits Expo 2010 exhibition

Former Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi visits the World Expo 2010 exhibition at Capital Museum in Beijing.

Former Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and other officials take a photo with Haibao.

Wu Yi learns about the master plan of Expo 2010.

Wu Yi and volunteers

Former Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi visited the ongoing World Expo 2010 exhibition at Capital Museum in Beijing yesterday afternoon.

Wu was updated on Expo preparations. She praised the work of organizer during the tour.

The delegation also included Wan Jifei, executive director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee and chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Bi Jingquan, deputy secretary-general of the State Council and deputy director of the Expo's organizing committee, Shanghai Vice Mayor Yang Xiong and Zhong Yanqun, full-time deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee.

Wu also encouraged volunteers to do a good job.

The exhibition, the latest and the most detailed of its kind, ends tomorrow.

It has two themes: World Expo history, as well as China and World Expo. More than 200 historic photos and items have been used to illustrate the World Expo from its origins and development to its relationship with modern civilization and cultural development.

Date palms add life to Saudi pavilion

Saudi Arabia plans something a little different for its World Expo 2010 pavilion.

They will plant 150 date palms, which are common in the desert country, on the roof of their pavilion.

The trees were transplanted to Zhejiang Province and will be replanted on the roof of Saudi Arabia Pavilion as soon as construction is finished.

So far 200 million yuan (US$29.3 million) has been spent on the pavilion, which is now 20 percent complete. It may end up being the most expensive pavilion at World Expo 2010 as the Middle-East country said it has no budget limit, according to Mohammed Alisssan Al-Ghamdi, executive director of Saudi Commission Expo 2010 Shanghai China.

Construction of the pavilion is to be finished by Chinese New Year.

The pavilion is a combined effort of Chinese and Saudi designers. The pavilion has a "moon boat" shape and is surrounded by deserts and seas, just like Saudi Arabia.

The first floor of the pavilion is a garden with both Chinese and Saudi trees growing, a symbol of the friendship between the two nations.

The pavilion's main attraction will be a huge cinema screen. The 1,600 square-meter screen will be larger than any other cinema screen on earth.

Swarovski delegation explores cooperation

scene of the meeting

A delegation headed by Andreas Braun, CEO of Swarovski Crystal Worlds, visited the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination this afternoon.

Hu Jinjun, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, discussed co-operation opportunities with Braun.

World Water Council President visits Expo Bureau

Xu Weiguo, deputy party secretary of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, meets Loïc Fauchon, President of World Water Council.

Fauchon and other member of the visiting delegation learn about Expo 2010's master plan.

World Water Council President Loïc Fauchon and Vice-President Benedito Braga yesterday visited the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination accompanied by China's Deputy Minister of Water Resources Hu Siyi.

Xu Weiguo, deputy party secretary of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, discussed the council's participation in Expo 2010 with the guests.

The big Expo 2010 and Expo site has been impressive and the council will try to promote water resources protection on Expo 2010 through exhibition, seminar and forums, said Fauchon.

The theme for this Expo is "better city, better life" and cities can not be better without well-organized water management, said Xu.

The organizer will offer good service for the Expo participants and he is looking forward to the outstanding exhibition of the council, Xu added.

Fauchon and his delegation also visited the Exhibition Hall and went atop the Expo Mansion to have a bird view of Expo site accompanied by Xu.

The World Water Council was the first non-governmental organization to announce its participation of the Expo 2010. The council confirmed its participation in September 2006.

African officials and journalists visit Expo Bureau

African officials and journalists visit Expo Bureau

African officials and journalists visit Exhibition Hall in Expo Mansion.

Fifty African officials and journalists yesterday visited the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination at the invitation of External Publicity Office of Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Expo Bureau officials in charge of Joint-Africa Pavilion introduced African countries' participation in Expo 2010 and the latest updates of Joint-Africa Pavilion's construction. The officials also answered questions from the group.

The group also visited Exhibition Hall and went atop the Expo Mansion to have a bird's view of the Expo site.

These African officials and journalists belong to a journalism training class and they are from 25 English-speaking countries in Africa.

Up to 42 countries and regions together with the African Union will present their interpretations of the "Better City, Better Life" Expo theme at Joint-African Pavilion. Eight other countries from the continent, including South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, will rent pavilions from the organizer. This pavilion is in a prime location along the Huangpu River and near a main entrance to the Expo site.

Chile Pavilion to reflect people's life through wells

Constructors will dig several wells in the Chile Pavilion to reflect on water surface realtime images of Chilian people's life through state-of-the-art technologies, Hernan Somerville, commissioner general for Chile's Expo exhibition, said during an inspection to the preparation of the Chile Pavilion.

Similar wells will be launched simultaneously in Chile to showcase its participation in the World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The concept stems from the notion that by digging an imaginary well from China and through the earth's core one can reach Chile when the well-turned tunnel is put through. It is not only a creative artistic concept but also a metaphor that however far apart people can become friends and closely related collaborators, like what China and Chile have achieved, Somerville said.

Chile has upgraded its initial plan of renting a pavilion to have a self-built one, which is the first case among South American participants. The total floor area of the Chile Pavilion will be 3,000 square meters, in which 2,500 square meters will be for exhibition. Chilian government's investment for the construction and exhibition of the pavilion is expected to hit US$7 million.

In view of the adjustment of Chile's participation policy in the context of a world-scale financial crisis, Somerville deemed the upgrade a significant investment of strategic importance rather than increased expenses.

Chile is expecting the 200th anniversary of its independence in 2010. The World Expo 2010 is the best platform to showcase to the globe its development and achievements since independence, especially in the areas of poverty relief, traditional culture conservation, creative thinking and solutions to urbanisation challenges, Somerville said.

Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. Today, China is Chile's largest trade partner. Chile is to highlight its identity of a "reliable collaborator" in the World Expo 2010, Somerville said.

The design of the Chile Pavilion will resemble an undulating crystal palace. It also conveys an abstract image of ships on the sea. The steel and glass structure is to be covered with nets made with steel wires and topped with a large roof garden, which will screen the sunlight and contribute to energy conservation, said Wang Haili, deputy general manager of Shanghai Art-Designing Corp, official service provider of the Chile Pavilion.

Putuo District stages Expo promotion show

The Children's Palace of Putuo District yesterday staged an Expo promotion show as part of the city's "Expo Goes Into Communities" serial events. The show was co-sponsored by the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, headquarters of the "600-Day Countdown to the Expo" Campaign, Shanghai Office of Moral Progress and Putuo District Administration.

Zhou Guoxiong, party secretary of Putuo District, delivered a speech on the show, summoning the district to contribute to the World Expo 2010 Shanghai through commitment, vigor and creativity. Sun Rongqian, acting governor and deputy party secretary of Putuo District, summarised the achievements in the first 300 days of the district's 600-day campaign to welcome the Expo.

Zhu Xiangying, deputy director of the Shanghai Office of Moral Progress, representatives of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and nearly 1,000 spectators also attended the show.

The promotion show concluded with Expo-themed performances.

Security rehearsal held for Expo

A security rehearsal is held for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo to ensure seawater security in East China Sea during the event.

A security rehearsal was held Saturday for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo to ensure seawater security in East China Sea during the event.

Two helicopters, five vessels and an emergency response team carried out the search and rescue of people who fell into the sea, transfer and medical treatment of the injured, and evacuation of people in danger and firefighting for vessels.

The 45-minute exercise was conducted at Wusongkou, Shanghai, on Saturday afternoon by the Donghai (East China Sea) Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport.

Sun Fumin, director of the bureau, said the bureau had made an emergency plan to ensure the security of seawater in the East China Sea during the Expo, a six-month-long event that starts on May 1 and ends October 31 next year.