At 9 am on August 19, 2006, 1351 days from the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the Launching Ceremony of Shanghai Expo Park construction was held ceremoniously at the Pongdong Area of the Expo Park. Mr. Yang Xiong, Member of the Organizing Committee of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, Executive Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of Expo 2010 Shanghai China and Vice-mayor of Shanghai, announced the official start of the Shanghai Expo Park construction, which indicates the official launch of the Expo Park construction campaign. Thus, the Expo preparations are stepping into a new stage.

According to the schedule of the Shanghai Expo Park construction project, the first batch to start with is the basic municipal facilities. 11 roads in Pongdong Area are to be constructed initially. The overall length of the roads will be about 11 kilometers and will cover approximately 390,000 square meters. The project is planned to be completed within 1 year.

It is reported that after the construction of the road network has started, other projects within the Expo Park will immediately follow , such as the construction of major buildings, vegetation planting and landscape planning, the building of flood walls, public utility pipes, power cables and underground transport.. The construction of the Expo Park is planned to be completed by the end of 2009.

Mr. Zhang Xuebing and Madam Zhong Yanqun, Full-Time Deputy Chairman of Shanghai World Expo Executive Committee and leaders of relevant units such as the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination were also present at the ceremony.