On April 24, 2006, the Information Office of the State Council held a press conference, at which Yang Xiong, Member of the Organizing Committee of the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, Executive Deputy Director of the Executive Committee of the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, Vice-mayor of Shanghai, and Madame Gao Yan, Member of the National Organizing Committee for the World Exposition 2010 Shanghai China, and Vice Chairperson of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), briefed the media on the preparatory progress for the Expo 2010 Shanghai China and answered questions from the media. The press conference was officiated by Lu Guangjin, Deputy Director of the News Bureau of the Information Office under the State Council, and Zhong Yanqun, Standing Deputy Director of the Shanghai 2010 World Expo Executive Committee also attended the conference.

The international community has responded positively to the official exhibition invitation to Expo Shanghai, said Yang Xiong, announcing that up to April 23, 14 countries and international organizations had officially confirmed their participation in the Expo 2010 Shanghai China. They are France, Ukraine, Bahrain, Mali, Cambodia, Canada, Mauritania, Algeria, Congo, Hungary, Switzerland, New Zealand, Cuba and the Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity.

It is China’s first official announcement on the countries and international organizations that have confirmed their participation commitment to the Expo 2010, said Yang, adding that to host a successful, splendid and unforgettable World Expo is not only a solemn promise by the Chinese Government to the international community but also a key objective to be fulfilled by Shanghai, the host city of the Expo 2010 Shanghai, in the next five years.

He listed four factors that contribute to the great enthusiasm of the international society and the people at home and abroad over the Expo 2010:

First of all, the Expo has a theme of global concern.

Secondly, it has a plan with unique characteristics.

Thirdly, it has a meaningful emblem.

Fourthly, it has a feasible marketing plan.

Madame Gao Yan briefly introduced the preparation work at the level of the Organizing Committee to the media. She said that the Chinese government has attached great importance to the preparation work of the Expo Shanghai, enshrining“running a successful World Expo”in the country’s 11th Five-year Master Plan and setting up corresponding working mechanism for the preparatory work of the Expo Shanghai.

She added that member organs of the Organizing Committee of the Shanghai World Expo have proactively pushed forward the preparation work in drafting the Registration Report to BIE, theme development, participant and investment recruiting, promotion activities, policy back-up, technical support as well as legal insurance.

Mr. Yang and Madame Gao also took questions from the domestic and overseas media concerning issues such as the relocation of residents and companies in the future Expo site, planning of the Expo Park, market development strategy and protection of intellectual property rights.