By Chen Jiawen

Reporter: Since the World Bank has officially confirmed its participation in 2010 World Expo, we would like to hear from you some suggestions and expectations about the upcoming expo. Firstly, when did the World Bank enter China?

Dollar: The World Bank's first loan to China is 25 years ago, in 1981, it is for education. And we opened our office in China in 1985.

Reporter: As we know that China has undergone tremendous progress for the last couple of years, How do you view such progress or changes that China has experienced during the past decades?

Dollar: In general, in the World Bank, China has been the most successful developing countries in the last 25 years. It has grown very rapidly and it has the most rapid poverty reduction in history. But at the same time, China still faces some challenges. I think the biggest one is the natural resources scarcity and environmental management. And although there has been very impressive poverty reduction, there are still problems especially in rural areas with health services, basic education, and raising the incomes of farmers and I think they are all important social agenda. And I think this is recognized in China's in the 11th Five Year Plan, which puts a lot of efforts in environmental issues as well as on social and rural issues.

Reporter: Since the World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. You are not a bank in the common sense.

Dollar: We are very special type of bank. We are really more of a development institution and poverty reduction institution. We lend money both to central government and to local government like Shanghai municipal government to carry out development projects to the whole people.

Reporter: Being such a special organization, what kind of role do you think the World Bank would play in the upcoming Shanghai Expo? Or what is your aim in the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Dollar: Our general aim is to help China meet its development objective. We are exited about participating in the Shanghai 2010 Expo, because we think that could be a useful way to promote some development policy, for example, there have been a lot of efforts around China to improve energy efficiency and to introduce new technologies like wind power and the clean coal. We are financing the largest clean coal power plant in Shanghai right now. And I think the Expo would be a very powerful way to disseminating to all the people of China new technologies and ideas. They can help China to become more energy efficient and more resource efficient.

And I think Expo can be a useful way to showcase some of the innovations all over China. Shanghai has a lot of impressive innovations to showcase and so do other parts of China. People need to learn about new technologies for automobiles and appliances etc. And I think the Expo can be very useful way of showcasing some of the issues of sustainable development.

Reporter: And The World Bank has taken part in Aichi Expo 2005. Would you provide some brief introductions about your participation at that time?

Dollar: Development is a very difficult business, and not everything is successful. But the World Bank has supported a lot of successful projects around the world to reduce poverty, to bring rural water supply, and to improve environment. And so we use the Aichi Japan to showcase some of our successful works.

But frankly I am exited that the next expo occurs in developing country. It is the first time that the Expo is be hosted by a developing country. China of course is largest and the most successful developing country. It is a great opportunity to inform Chinese people about the development and successes, and failures too. And we learn from failures, as well. We really need to use the Expo to inform people.

Reporter: As you mentioned, Shanghai Expo would be the first Expo to be held by a developing country, so how do you view the upcoming 2010 Expo in the light of this point?

Dollar: Wherever the Expo is, it gets certain amount of attention in the world. But the one in Shanghai should really get a lot of attention here in China. There should be a lot of media coverage in China in the Chinese language. So it is really a unique opportunity to reach 1.3 billion people to raise people’s consciousness about certain issues, to show some successful policies and technologies, and all of the developing world people would be eager to go to China. This expo will get unprecedented interests for people from the developing world all over the globe.

Reporter: What's your understanding about the theme of 2010 Shanghai Expo "Better City, Better Life"?

Dollar: Recently the world has passed an important historical milestone when the world as a whole reaches 50% urbanization rate. And China in many ways is a micro-cosmos of the whole world. China also has an urbanization rate; right now it is a little bit below 50%. But by the time you have the Expo, China would have 50% urbanization rate. By 2015 and 2020, urbanization rate in China would probably reach 60%. So most people in the world and very soon, most people in China are going to live in cities. And cities in general are more productive and they create opportunities for people to be more productive to have higher incomes. But living in cities produces lots of challenges. Because people are concentrated very close together, which is the very definition of city. That means you have to manage the traffic very well, you have to have good public transportation, and complicated problems such as how to deliver water, how to collect the wastes. So if we look around the world, I think there is a very impressive competition to generate a better quality of life. And the cities that succeed would attract a lot of smart people. Shanghai is a good example. It is attracting a lot of talented smart people because they can get good services and also the cultural life. It is the most successful city on this point in China. So I think if you want to give your people better life, you really have to have a well-organized city. And that is the important messages to come out of the Shanghai Expo.

Reporter: And what's your anticipation or suggestions about the 2010 Shanhai World Expo?

Dollar: I know that there are many different issues, and World Bank focuses on some of them. I think for a city and particularly in China, the issue of resource scarcity, for example, how do you use water efficiently, how do you design a life style that does not consume too much energy. There environmental and natural resources issues are really critical, and this could be a powerful way for China to showcase the new technology and encourage resource saving and encourage a different way of living that is more environmentally sustainable and to give people a better life.

Reporter: Thank you Mr. Dollar for your time and patience, and also for your wishes for 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Dollar: I'm happy to, and good luck!