City of islands display showcases Zhoushan

Visitors can get a taste of the only city of islands in China in the case exhibition hall of the Pavilion of the Future, officials said as the Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, exhibition opened yesterday.

The Zhoushan theme case is about sea and city, said Mayor Zhou Guohui, and it's on show today and tomorrow.

Visitors can study the development of the islands, including deep-water ports, beaches and bridges, through a 10-minute movie. The exhibition is on the pavilion's third floor.

Zhou said life around the sea was always a classic topic at World Expos, having been highlighted at the 1975 Okinawa Expo and the 1998 Lisbon event. It will also feature in the 2012 Expo in Yeosu, South Korea.

Zhoushan is China's largest fishing port with an annual output of about 1.2 million tons of seafood and its Mount Putuo is one of China's four famous Buddhist mountains.

Meanwhile, an asteroid discovered by China's astronomical authority was officially named as "Zhoushan" yesterday to promote the city. The asteroid was discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, in 1981.

Nobel Laureate talks at Aussie Pavilion

Nobel Laureate Barry Marshall talked about his way to Noble Prize yesterday during a conference at Australia Pavilion.

Marshall proved the bacteria Helicobacter pylori to be the cause of most Peptic Ulcer and received Nobel Prize in 2005.

He and his colleague Robin Warren made the discovery that inflammation in the stomach (gastritis) as well as ulceration of the stomach or duodenum (peptic ulcer disease) is the result of an infection of the stomach caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, he said.

Among doubts and criticism, Marshall drank a Petri dish of H. pylori, developed gastritis, and the bacteria were recovered from his stomach lining, thereby satisfying three out of the four Koch's postulates.

The postulates, proposed by Robert Koch in 1890, are criteria designed to establish a causal relationship between a causative microbe and a disease.

Marshall's discovery reversed the traditional concept that peptic ulcer was caused by stress and too much acid.

When asked whether he felt it was too late to receive the prize after 23 years, Marshall said that Koch isolated the Tuberculosis bacillus in 1882 and was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1905.

Marshall's 23 years cycle was just 100 years later than Koch's 23-year-cycle so his Nobel prize was just perfect, Marshall added.

The conference focused on exchanges of China and Australia's biotech achievements.

Australia is famous for many biotech contributions to the world such as penicillin, implants of artificial cochlea, synthesis of omega-3 fatty acids as well as researching and developing world's first vaccine of cervical cancer.

Cooperation of biotech between the two countries has seen surges and now two sides are trying to forge innovative and highly efficient cooperative ties, commissioner general for Australia Lyndall Sachs said.

Oman Pavilion receives millionth visitor

Oman's vice commissioner general to Expo 2010 and the pavilion's director give a wooden model of traditional Omani sailing ship to the lucky visitor.

Oman Pavilion received its millionth visitor at 5pm yesterday and the lucky visitor was given a wooden model of traditional Omani sailing ship as a souvenir.

Chang Dewei, a Xuzhou native from Shanghai's neighboring Jiangsu Province, was on his first visit to the Expo. He said that he felt excited and honored as well as surprised being the millionth visitor to Oman Pavilion.

The Oman Pavilion offered VIP reception to Chang and his companion while the pavilion director's assistant accompanied them touring the pavilion exhibits such as the country's environment, culture heritage as well as its sustainable economic development.

Located at Zone A, the pavilion integrates Arabic feature and modern style. The exhibits inside feature a ancient city, a city inside deserts, a city in the mountain area, a port city, as well as its capital Muscat and the Blue City which will be completed by 2020. They are designed to help interpret Omani people's unique concept of sustainable urban development.

Visitor number reaches a new high

A total of 552,100 visitors packed the Expo site as of 8:00pm yesterday, breaking the record of 552,000 visitors on June 15. The total visitors' number since the Expo 2010 opening day jumped to 19.3 million. And the figure is expected to top 20 million by tomorrow.

Of the visitors yesterday, about 165,300 were on tour groups, and around 147,000 visitors used free tickets Shanghai government distributed to local residents.

A total of 47,622 tickets were sold on site by 8:30pm, with 18,563 night admissions.

It was expected that up to 156,400 group visitors will visit the Expo site today.

Yesterday, Houtan Gate received about 94,000 visitors, Shangnan Road 92,000, and Changqing Road, Gaoke Road W. more than 158,000 in total.

Expo organizers said that the morning peak at Expo site gate lasts from 9am to 11am and individual visitors were advised to take gates such as Shangnan Road Gate, Madang Road Gate and Bansongyuan Road Gate, which may take less time for waiting.

By 5pm, 71 shows were staged, attracting 107,200 spectators. A total of 8,158 volunteers served on the site.

Public transport inside Expo site transported 825,000 people by 6pm.

Five medical service stations inside the Expo site received 426 visits by 4pm yesterday.

Bracing for the heat wave in coming months, Expo organizers have doubled the supply of soft drinks especially mineral water.

New Expo passports on sale

The new version of the Expo passport went on sale at Expo franchise stores in the Expo site yesterday, the organizers announced.

The new Expo passports still have two editions - a cartoon edition and a standard edition in three colors. Producers of Expo passports were increased from one to five to ensure an adequate supply.

A temporary outlet selling souvenirs for 2010 FIFA World Cup on floor B2 at the north end of the Expo Boulevard also drew large crowds. Limited edition of football badges and pins, for instance, are popular among fans.

Meanwhile, drizzly weather made the Expo site cooler, attracting more than 440,000 visitors yesterday.

Among yesterday's visitors, 168,000 were on tour groups.

A total of 38,568 tickets were sold on site, with 15,310 night admissions.

Houtan Gate received about 79,000 visitors, Changqing Road 68,000, and Shangnan Road, Gaoke Road W. about 126,000 in total.

By 5pm, 72 shows were staged, attracting about 45,000 spectators. A total of 6,272 volunteers served on the site.

The site is estimated to receive about 180,000 group visitors today. Individual tourists are advised to enter from less crowded gates at Shangnan Rd, Bansongyuan Rd or Madang Rd during 9am to 11am rush hours. Expo visitors are also advised to take umbrellas around during plum rain season in Shanghai.

Mozambique celebrates Pavilion Day

Mozambique in the Africa Joint Pavilion celebrates its National Pavilion Day today with performances from its traditional troupe.

With a "Better District, Better Life" theme, Mozambique hopes to showcase the country's achievements in areas such as education, hygiene, science and technology, economy, environmental protection and planning and share experience with other countries in promoting urbanization, economic development and improving people's livelihoods, Armando Artur, Minister of Culture, said at this morning's ceremony in the Expo Center.

The Expo 2010 would promote world peace and development, respect and help countries learn from each other in urban construction and development.

Ou'yang Jian, China's vice minister of Culture, congratulated Mozambique on the 35-year anniversary of its independence and the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Mozambique.

He said the country's exhibition not only displays its achievement in urban construction, but also its focus on regional development and planning and sustainable development.

The Mozambique Pavilion emphasizes regional development to achieve goals and sustainable development and showcases progress in its cities.

The pavilion's four areas are linked by the "Zambezi River." There are a school, a traditional cottage, a hospital and a modern apartment building.

The school represents education and culture, the hospital shows science and technology and the cottage of traditional materials features tourism and hotels.

The residence is the welcome and information area and features projects on public engineering, urbanization, road construction and beach erosion.

There are also two major projects for exhibitions highlighting a bridge and a dam.

Environmental change on forum agenda

The fourth theme forum of Expo Shanghai focusing on "Environmental Change and City Responsibility" will be held in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, on July 3 and 4.

The forum aims to explore how to combat environmental change through division of work and collaboration among city governments, corporations and citizens. It would last one day and a half, involving an opening ceremony, six parallel forums and a closing ceremony, Xu Wei, spokesman of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, told yesterday's press conference.

About 60 speakers will share their visions. They include minister-level officials, well-known environmental experts, mayors, representatives from international organizations and entrepreneurs from more than 10 countries and regions.

At the opening ceremony, speakers will deliver keynote speeches on "environmental protection and urban prospect," "facing climate change and promoting harmonious city development scientifically," "global resource environment and development in China: the contributions and responsibilities," "towards a green and sustainable urban future" and "assessment of global climate change: science, adaptation and mitigation."

The list of speakers includes officials from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China Meteorological Administration, China National Energy Administration, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner and Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

A number of experts will attend parallel forums on "low-carbon development and climate change," "industrial development and green innovation: production and energy," "public participation in building green cities," "urban environment management and clean energy development," "industrial development and green innovation: sustainable architecture" and "sustainable way of production and living."

In conclusion of the forum, the former president of Chinese Academy of Engineering Xu Kuangdi will deliver a keynote speech on low-carbon and the global technology revolution. Yang Xiong, executive vice mayor of Shanghai and executive deputy director of the Expo 2010 Executive Committee, will make concluding remarks.

The Nanjing government has endeavored to build the city into an international green city with policy support as well as science and technology, Mou Xiaoyu, deputy secretary general of the Nanjing Government, said at the conference.

Six Expo theme forums are scheduled in all. The other theme forums will start successively in Shaoxing and Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province. The theme will be "Economic Transformations and Urban-Rural Relations" for Shaoxing and "Harmonious City and Livable Life" for Hangzhou.

Sweden Pavilion spruced up with sea of flowers

Visitors to the Sweden Pavilion will be surrounded by an ocean of flowers because florists are decorating the pavilion in celebration of midsummer today, one of Swedes' most beloved cultural festivals.

Gunnar Kaj, Sweden's most famous floral designer and florist Elaine Jansson, are turning the pavilion into a garden with garlands and daisy chains. They will make a maypole with flower, leaf and garlands, a symbol of midsummer festival. Some visitors to the pavilion will be invited to join in the decoration.

According to old sayings, nature was full of supernatural powers during midsummer, said Gunnar Kaj. "To collect all this powerful magic in a daisy chain was thought to give strength and luck for the future. That is a tradition we want to bring to Shanghai."

A raft of programs is on the pavilion's menu, including the SymbioCity Forum in July, the family musical "Pippi Longstocking" in August and forums in August and October. Swedish Crown Princess Victoria is expected to visit the pavilion in October.

Exhibition traces Chinese migration to Peru

An exhibition entitled "160 Years of Chinese Immigration to Peru" opened at the Peru Pavilion yesterday night.

The exhibit comprises photographs and historical documents that narrate the settlers' voyage and the linking of Peruvian and Chinese people.

The last part of the showcase displays how Chinese contribute to the development of Peruvian cuisine and make it diverse.

Chinese started moving to Peru in the mid 19th century. In 1874, a series of agreements in business and trade were signed between the two countries, heralding the start of their cooperation and exchange, said Harold Forsyth, ambassador of Peru to China.

Over the past 100-plus years, the friendship between the two peoples is deepened, the ambassador said. He noted that the pavilion hopes to promote its traditional culture and further friendship with Chinese people via the Expo.

Norway Pavilion unveils painting of northern light

A painting featuring dreamlike northern lights in Tromso was unveiled in the Norway Pavilion this afternoon.

The painting "Trace of Aurora" was created by Chinese artist Sun Yao, who made a trip to Tromso in northern part of Norway in December 2009.

Sun said he was fascinated by the diverse color of the light and hoped to call on people's awareness in protecting the nature via his painting.