"Expo 2010 Shanghai welcomes the participation of Guangdong Province and all of China, to share the opportunities the event gives," Shanghai Vice Mayor Yang Xiong yesterday said to a reporter from Nanfang Daily.

Expo organisers will also bring a tour exhibition to Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong, in mid December, to raise the public recognition of the Province.

The exhibition, The Path to the World Expo, will start its national tour to five China's major cities, including Beijing, Chongqing, Nanjing, Hangzhou after the Shanghai stop wraps up on September 9.

The organisers launched the exhibition on August 5 as one of the most important ways to promote the 2010 event to local people.

Shanghai Expo 2010 is the first world exposition to take city development as its theme "Better City, Better Life."

Up to August 23, the organization had received 162 participation confirmations from countries and world organizations, including four nations that have no diplomatic relations with China.

The organisers plans to attract 200 participants by next year.