|
 |
| Volume No. 1 Issue No. 32 - Wednesday, November 27, 2002 |
Shanghai's 2010 Expo Bid
 by: Thomson Fontaine
Shanghai of The Peoples Republic of China has launched a vigorous campaign aimed at gaining support to host the 2010 World Expo. Representatives from the 88 member grouping of Bureau International des Expositions including Dominica will meet on December 3 in Monte Carlo to decide on the host city of the 2010 expo. The other cities vying for this honor are Moscow (Russia), and Yeosu (South Korea).
Shanghai, with a population of 16 million, hopes that World Expo 2010 will be a forum for sharing ideas and best practice, and has adopted the theme "Better City, Better Life", which focuses on the global challenge of urbanization.
"To spotlight the theme Better City, Better Life , we are working on the plans to shut down the factories and move people into more spacious and comfortable houses," said Yu Sijia, chief of Shanghai's urban planning department. The people who are living in the area with no current drainage system, gas pipeline or cable have been the most vocal supporters of the bid for the Expo.
As part of his efforts to secure the votes of the various countries, the Chinese authorities are promising to give support to all participating nations through the extending of VIP treatment at the customs and the providing of meals, lodgings, and entertainment.
In addition, the authorities are offering to provide the raw materials for construction and renovation to nations who want to construct their own buildings during the Expo. Developing countries are also been wooed with aid funds of USD100 million.
Shanghai sits on the central location along China's south coastal line, and is flanked on the east by the East China Sea, Hangzhou Bay on the south, and the Yangtze River on the north. If Shanghai's bid is successful, it will be the first time that the World Expo will be held in a developing country. Dominica currently has no official relations with the Peoples Republic of China opting to lend diplomatic support to Taiwan.
Lately, the Dominica government's position on China have come under severe public criticism with many suggesting that the time has come for Dominica to stop its support for Taiwan. It was not immediately clear which city Dominica would support.
|
 | | |
Search our website: enter one or more keywords
and press "go"
|
|
|
|
