Expo Shanghai Exhibition Center opened on May 1, 2008 to mark the two-year countdown to Expo 2010. Yu Zhengsheng (Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, the First Vice Chairperson of Shanghai 2010 World Exposition National Organizing Committee, and Director of Shanghai 2010 World Exposition Executive Committee) visited the Center and said at the launch ceremony that preparation work for the event has entered a crucial phase and the city needs to "look better, provide a better life to its residents and build deeper friendships" as it prepares for the Expo.

According to Yu, Expo 2010 is an important event for both Shanghai and China which will push development forward. Expo 2010 is a great opportunity for Shanghai to advocate the scientific outlook on development. The efforts in preparation for the Expo will help Shanghai build a harmonious civil society, improve the quality of city life, better serve the whole nation, speed up urban construction, and create a significant platform to extend the opening-up and present the image of an international metropolis.

Yu said the Expo theme "Better City, Better Life" not only represents the wish of having a more beautiful city and a better life, but also means deeper friendships. Yu hoped that the spiritual civilization could be fostered during the preparation for the Expo and more people would develop amicable and harmonious relationships, help and understand with each other, love the family, society, country and nation while enjoying a comfortable city life.

"Nowadays, urban cities is developing rapidly, we can see both achievements and shortcomings," Yu said. "Expo 2010 will be a venue to accommodate more than 200 participants from different countries and international organizations. Expo 2010 will showcase the vision and efforts of participants, home and abroad, in exploring better urban lives, and promoting the concept of sustainable urban development. In this regard, the preparation for Expo 2010 is a task for Shanghai, China and even the world."

Yu noted, "The life and image of Beijing has changed so much thanks to the preparation efforts for Olympic Games, focused on the strategy‘New Beijing, New Olympics', and with emphasis on both material civilization and spiritual civilization. Shanghai shall learn from Beijing's experiences in urban construction and management, in economic and social development to make high-quality preparatory works for the Olympic Games and World Expo, to support Beijing in hosting a successful Olympic Games while making steady progress in preparation for the Expo. By taking full advantage of the event, we will accelerate the transition of economic development patterns, improve city image, find out people's well-being solutions, and bring actual benefits to residents in Shanghai."

According to Yu, after Beijing Olympic Games, Shanghai will implement a "600-day action plan" to mark the 600-day countdown to the Expo, to improve city management, people's living environment and life quality. The plan will define specific tasks, key points, and milestones in all stages of preparation. The government will mobilize the public to participate in Expo preparation, to build a sound atmosphere, to make overall progress with breakthrough in key points, to improve the city appearances and services, and to promote the city management and civilization to a higher level.

"To be candid, the preparation for Expo 2010 is a new and tough task for Shanghai as well as for China," Yu said. "As the first developing country to host an Expo, China has promised a‘successful, splendid and unforgettable' event. I feel great pressure. Actually, it is more motivation than pressure. The task of hosting World Expo is tough, but such an unforgettable big event is rare in life. I regarded my coming to Shanghai as a rare chance that will lead to a special happiness in my life."

Expo Shanghai Exhibition Center is the first regular presentation base, promotion base and education base for Expo 2010. "Support, tolerance and dedication of the civil society are indispensable to hosting a successful world exposition. This Exhibition Center will create the necessary bridge between Expo 2010 Shanghai and the civil society," said Vicente Loscertales, Secretary General of the International Expositions Bureau, in his congratulatory letter to the opening of the center. "It will constitute an important platform for communication."