I. The Program and Design

The overall layout of the Site is divided into a park, an enclosed area, and five zones, as well as some additional groups and units. The Site covers a total area of 5.28 square kilometers, with an enclosed area of 3.28 square kilometers. Zones A, B and C of the Site are in Pudong, mainly for national pavilions and pavilions for international organizations. Zones D and E are on the Puxi side, mainly for corporate pavilions and urban best practices areas. In addition, the Expo Village, public activities center and the Expo administration are allocated in Pudong as well.

Pavilions for countries and international organizations

1. Pavilion layout

In Zone A, there will be national pavilions for most Asian countries, except for ASEAN countries. These countries' pavilions will be in Zone B, as well as pavilions for countries from Oceania and for international organizations. In Zone C, there will be national pavilions for European, American and African countries. The total construction area for all the national pavilions is 336 thousand square meters, while the construction area for pavilions for international organizations is 32 thousand square meters.

2. Pavilion Groups

There are altogether 26 pavilion groups with an average land area of 2-3 hectors each. Each pavilion group consists of 40-50 units, and the overall construction area for each pavilion group is between 20-25 thousand square meters.

For the convenience of visitors, public services like small restaurants, telecommunications, restrooms, and baby services will be available near each group.

3. Types of Pavilions

A. Self-designed and self-built pavilions:

A basic unit covers a land area of 500 square meters. Official participants can apply for 2-12 units, i.e., 1000-6000 square meters. The construction should cover between 60 percent and 80 percent of the total area, with a construction height no more than 20 meters. All together there will be over 500 units, which can hold more than 160 National Pavilions.

B. Stand-alone pavilions:

These units measure 500 square meters as well. Official participants who choose not to build their own pavilions may rent stand-alone pavilions. The pavilion structures in this category come in three sizes, from the basic 500 square meters up to 2000 square meters.

C. Joint pavilions:

Some pavilions are offered free of charge to participants from developing countries. The basic unit is 324 m2. One free unit, at minimum, will be provided to each developing country.

4. Confirmed participants

Since the invitations, signed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, were extended on March 22nd, 77 countries and 11 international organizations, 88 in total, have confirmed their intention to participate as of Oct. 26th, which is far beyond the original target of 50 to 70 participants for this year's international recruitment.

Among those countries and international organizations which have confirmed are developed countries such as France, Germany, Britain, Canada, Spain and the USA, developing countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania and Cuba, and influential international organizations such as the UN and World Bank.

The next step is to try to increase the number of participants up to 90 or even 100 by the end of this year.

The China Pavilion and Theme Pavilions

1. Basic concept

The preliminary design of the China Pavilion consists of the China National Pavilion and the China Local Government Pavilion, with the former a showcase of Chinese techniques in urban development.

The theme pavilions will fully illustrate the Expo theme and sub-themes by tapping into China's historical heritage, building a Pavilion of Energy to tackle such common concerns of mankind as energy shortages, or echoing the Expo Museum.

2. Preparation efforts

In 2005, the invitation for bid of the exhibition plans for the China Pavilion and theme pavilions was issued, attracting 70-odd national and international entities including Dentsu Inc. (Japan), and EDAW (Hong Kong).

In 2006, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Shanghai University organized special teams to study and design the exhibition contents of these pavilions.

At the same time, the National Organizing Committee invited 18 renowned experts at the national level in urban planning and cultural communication to act as consultants on theme development, and two working teams of specialists and experts in urban issues, architecture, planning, culture communication, exhibition, and science and technology have been formed to help develop the exhibits for the pavilions.

Finally, at the moment, an expert from BIE is also helping to improve the theme, the fruit of which will be reported soon.

Corporate pavilions

The tentative plan is to locate corporate pavilions on the Puxi side, with 16 corporate pavilions in total, 14 of which will be newly-built and the other two will be renovated buildings. The corporate pavilions will be temporary constructions and will be dismantled after the Expo. The participating enterprises may choose to build the pavilions on their own or share a joint pavilion.

1. Participating enterprises

Participating companies should be well-known around the world and be well-liked, should have a strong record of community service and outreach, and should have robust financial strength and the capability of adding to the theme .

Preference is offered to Expo partners. In line with past practices, participation fees are waived for partners and senior sponsors.

2. Exhibition requirements

The exhibition will be in line with the theme of "Better City, Better Life". The hope is that the different parts of the exhibit will be unique, creative, and fun, offering interactive experiences. Additionally, participants are encouraged to employ new technologies for the delight of all

3. Selection of participants

A jury of experts will be formed to select 16 winners from the bidding schemes. The selection will be based on each entrant's interpretation of the theme, the contents and methods of the presentation, the preliminary design of the pavilion and exhibition, and the timetable and working team.

World Expo Museum

The World Expo Museum will be located in a rebuilt preserved historical site to provide information on the history of the world exposition. In addition, significant innovations connected with the World Expo and dating back to the first world fair will be displayed.

Urban Best Practices Area

The Urban Best Practices Area is planned to cover 12 hectares.

1. Positioning:

This area is dedicated to displaying the lifestyle, work, recreation and transportation of a real community. The exhibition objects and installations will be applicable to real life, such as buildings, construction, facilities and equipment, or other artifacts. The content should illuminate successful practices and methods, to spark the public's imagination about what the urban lifestyle of tomorrow will look like. The exhibits should be distinctive, yet easy to understand and appreciate.

2. Participating entities:

The participating entities in this area are called Cities. 20 to 30 Cities will be selected, and participants are permitted to work with professional agencies to implement the designs.

3. Presentation:

The comfortable, convenient, safe and sustainable lifestyle in urban areas should be presented from the viewpoints of architecture, transportation, public space and infrastructure, with the concept of '3Rs'(reduction, re-use and recycle) clearly in focus.

4. Selection of participating cities:

Candidates will be recommended by some important international organizations like the BIE, UN-HABITAT and the World Bank as well as the Chinese Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Sciences and Technology, and then the recommended entities will be evaluated and selected by a jury of experts from these same organizations. Finally, the winners will be contacted and invited to participate.

Expo Village

The Expo Village will cover about 34 hectares, providing 450,000 square meters of facilities in total by means of new construction and reconfiguration of the existing buildings as accommodation and other services for participants' staff.

II．Plan and Design

The total number of visits to the Expo is expected to amount to 70 million, with 400,000 visits per day on average. This volume may well be the largest in the history of the World Expo, and the master plan provides contingencies for even higher volumes.

Transportation

The provision of transportation will be: 50% by rail; 35%-40% by ground (including shuttle buses, tour buses and regular buses); 10% by water transport; 5% by other means of transport (including VIP vehicles, walking and bicycles). The Expo is expected to have some 230,000 visits per hour during the rush hour. Existing transportation systems are capable to meet the needs of the Expo.

1. City-wide transport facilities related to the Expo 2010

With regard to air travel facilities, the Pudong International Airport and the Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai are both currently being expanded. Passenger capacity will reach 84 million travelers per year by 2010 (it is 42 million travelers per year currently). The second phase of the expansion of the Pudong International Airport will be finished by 2007, when 2 waiting halls and 3 runways will be added, yielding a capacity of 64 million travelers per year. A second waiting hall of Hongqiao Airport is being renovated and expanded, and a new runway is under construction. Passenger capacity from Hongqiao International Airport will reach 20 million travelers per year by 2008.

For train travel, the Hongqiao Railway Station is currently under construction. A triangle of three stations including the Hongqiao Station, the South Shanghai Station and the main Shanghai Station will be set up by 2010, and the total passenger capacity will be increased from 43 million to 80 million travelers per year.

As for travel through Shanghai's port, an international port hub for passengers is being constructed and will be finished by 2008, with a capacity of over 1 million travelers.

Finally, for travel within the city, the subway/light rail network will be expanded. The total length of the network will jump from 123 km to 400 km, with 11 lines, including the number 4, 7, 8 and 13 (Expo Express) lines reaching the Expo Site.

2. Transportation in the Site

Entrance/Exit System. The entrances and exits will include 9 regular entrances and exits, 4 waterway entrances and exits, with 550 ticket and safety check points installed.

Public Transport System. The existing transport system consists of a counter-clockwise outer ring and a clockwise inner ring in Pudong and a counter-clockwise inner ring in Puxi.

Pedestrian Network. The pedestrian network will cover and connect the exhibition zones, forming a system with separated pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

Logistics Transportation. Logistics transportation will be available mainly at night, with some available in the day.

Cross-river Linkage. The tunnel of South Xizang Road will be used for special public transport routes; 2 stations of Metro Line No. 13 will form a cross-river transportation hub within the site; 6 docks will cater to 5 ferry routes, serving as connections on the water within the Site.

Squares

Five levels of Squares will be installed based on the overall framework, namely parks, enclosed areas, zones, groups and clusters, and arranged by three ranks, park-scale, zone-scale, and group-scale Squares. The total area of these Squares will be 27.28 hectares (with squares for entrances/exits and those within the water gate excluded), among which the park-scale square will cover an area of 11.13 hectares, zone Squares 5.29 hectares and those for groups and clusters 10.76 hectares.

Landscape

The green belts of the park-level Squares will cover an area of 920,000 m2. The totals will be 74,000 m2 for the zone level, 64,000 m2 in total for the groups and clusters level.

Layout of support facilities

The total area of support facilities will be about 148,000 m2.

1. Catering. Participants will be able to choose from a wide variety of types of food, including traditional restaurants, buffet-style canteens, snack bars, coffee/dessert shops, and large-scale restaurants. The dining facilities will abut the commercial section outside the pavilions, with a total area of 120,000 m2.

2. Toilets. The number of the toilets is planned according to the anticipated peak attendance of 800,000 visits per day . The total number of toilets is expected to be 6150, with 4,500 stationary and 1,650 mobile units, covering a total area of 25,000 m2.

III. Construction

40% of the Expo Site has already been cleared, and the goal for this year is to have at least 50% of the Site cleared by the end of the year, with 100% cleared by July of next year.

In line with the Site plan, the cross-river tunnels, 11 main roads in the Expo park with supporting facilities, and the public administration center are under construction, and the on-site landscape plans including the plan for Pudong's riverbank green belts are at the bidding stage of construction, and will break ground by the end of this year.

The bidding for the construction work on the Expo axis, Expo village and Public Activity Center is finalized and is currently being improved.

IV. Market Development

To date, the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination has signed partnership contracts with China Eastern Airlines, China Mobile and China Telecom. We are expecting to sign another four partnership contracts and cooperation initiatives with another five partners and six senior sponsors in the near future.

Our next step is to complete an investigation of targeted industries and companies regarding partnership and sponsorship.

V. Expo Online

The BIE has cooperated closely with the Organizer to promote the Expo online project.

1. Basic concept

The online project is intended to be an online World Expo, to exhibit the achievements and development of various countries through high technologies such as virtual-reality technology, multi-media and other communication methods. The project is to be a supplement and extension of the real Expo.

2. Basic function

The function online project is of promotion, navigation, education and experience.

3. Project structure

The project comprises two network platforms, site and pavilions. The Organizer is responsible for the design of the site platform while the participants are free to design their pavilion online.

4. Project development

Top multi-national companies will be invited to be involved in the development of the basic platform, major pavilions and technology support with the Organizer.

5. Willingness to seek guidance and assistance

We hope this project can obtain feedback and cooperation from participants through the guidance and coordination of the BIE.

VI. Communication and Promotion

Communications and promotion plan

A professional team has been organized by the BIE, the Executive Committee of the Expo 2010, and several international companies. Based on their report, we developed a new communications and promotion plan. Madam Busa, an expert from the BIE, has give suggestions on the development of this plan.

1. Key tasks

Promote the values and the theme of the Expo;

Formulate corresponding strategies and executive plans for different stages and target audiences;

Improve awareness of the Expo regarding the campaigns to visitors, partners and participants.

2. Major strategies

The emphasis of the work will vary with different phases: the advancing steps are also flexible, with an eye to different situations from home and abroad.

3. Specially planned activities

Landmark large-scale events, in accordance with the timing and theme in different phases of the work, will be held after the integration of various channels.

The events include the national traveling exhibition entitled "Everything Begins with World Expo", a specially-planned event named "Successful Olympics, Splendid Expo" during the closing ceremony of Beijing Olympics, and events to mark the 1000th day prior to the opening of the Expo, as well as the 500th days' ceremony as well as one for the 100 days' milestone, the solicitation and publication of posters, theme songs and mascots, and an international DV contest titled "Better city, better life."

II.Progress of the Major Work

1. Strengthening communication with the BIE

We held the fourth Expo Forum 2010 with the BIE and have listened to opinions and suggestions from experts from around the world to further develop the theme of the Shanghai World Expo. During these communications with the BIE, Mr. Loscertales, the Secretary-General of the BIE, has paid three working visits to our bureau for discussion and communication.

2. Strengthening communication with the media

We have built ties with more than 50 domestic media entities to conduct three in-depth reports on the Shanghai World Expo. More than 1,000 news articles have been published, and we also have received representatives from 36 foreign media companies for interviews with our bureau.

The official website of the Chinese government has launched an Expo Column. The official website of the Expo 2010 and the Expo Magazine have been revamped. The website currently attracts 10,000 visits per day.

3. Promoting Shanghai World Expo by receiving foreign delegations and paying visits to foreign countries

We have received 315 official and commercial delegations from 46 countries, including Italian Premier Prodi and Argentina Vice President Scioli.

We have paid 6 visits to foreign countries, including 3 visits to our sister cities in Canada, Germany, Spain and Portugal to promote the Shanghai World Expo.

4. Organizing cultural and recreational events for the public

Almost 100,000 primary and middle school students have taken part in the "Expo Children Emissaries" contest. The Shanghai International Poster Competition is an ongoing project. The Expo Forums have been held yearly. A new version of the Expo image video is planned and currently being shot to promote the theme and logo of the Expo 2010.

VII. The 1st Participants Meeting to be hold shortly

71 countries and international organizations have confirmed to attend this meeting.

Purpose of the Meeting:

The purpose is to brief the participants about updates of the preparations, to answer various questions regarding participation issues that concerned international participants, and to further promote the implementation of the practical issues raised by the participants.

Period of the Meeting:

The meeting will last two days, from Nov. 15th to Nov. 16th, 2006.

Participants to be Invited:

Representatives from states and international organizations, and the President, Secretary-General and officials of BIE are invited.

This meeting is expected to attract 200 representatives.

Content of the Meeting:

On Nov. 15th, latest news of the international recruitment of the Expo will be disseminated. The briefing will also cover information on the master plan of the Expo Site, the principles of site selection and theme development, the operation plan and plan for insurance and assistance funds. The communication and promotion plans will be addressed as well.

On Nov. 16th, three groups will be organized to visit the Site and the Site Plan Sand Table has been developed for three types of pavilions, namely, self-built pavilions, stand-alone pavilions and joint pavilions.

According to the practice of previous Expos, the participants meeting will provide a Participation Guideline which has been submitted to the Secretary-General of the BIE and has been reviewed and approved by the experts of the BIE. The Participants Guideline has three versions, in Chinese, English and French, covering 18issues.