What's new

Shanghai Expo 2010 opens today (May 1st)!

This video features the legendary Jackie Chan, world-famous pianist Lang Lang, and NBA star Yao Ming.



Note: The woman in the blue dress is dancing in the lobby of Jin Mao Tower. The two skyscrapers behind Jackie Chan are the regal Jin Mao Tower and the slender SWFC (i.e. Shanghai World Financial Center).

Jin Mao Tower is on the left:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Fireworks, outdoor multimedia display illuminates Shanghai - People's Daily Online


Spectacular fireworks explode over China Pavilion at the World Expo Park during the opening ceremony for the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai, east China, April 30, 2010. (Xinhua/Chen Kai)

17839770617991550999.jpg

Spectacular fireworks explode over the Huangpu River during the opening ceremony for the 2010 World Expo held in Shanghai, east China, April 30, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Ming)
:china::cheers::china:
 
I was planning to go, but my scheduled plans are preventing me from doing so. And the sad thing is only the Chinese Pavilion is to remain.

Maybe I'll take a short vacation..... maybe .....
 
Last edited:
There are three must-know facts about the Shanghai Expo 2010.

1) For the first time in its 159-year history, the world expo is being held in a developing country. This is a great honor for China. More importantly, this pioneering-move should eliminate the unfair discrimination against developing countries and allow other emerging economies in the future to hold the honor of showing their country to the world. (See BBC News - Shanghai Expo is China's new showcase to the world)

2) The Shanghai Expo 2010 is an important international event. Approximately, "20 world leaders attended the opening ceremony and toured the Expo, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.

Chinese President Hu Jintao met Prime Minister of the Netherlands Jan Peter Balkenende in Shanghai Saturday.

Balkenende spoke highly of the opening ceremony and fireworks and said he was impressed deeply by the China National Pavilion and Sichuan Pavilion he visited Saturday morning.

While meeting European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in Shanghai Saturday, President Hu thanked the EU for its participation in the Shanghai World Expo, the organization's first presence at a World Expo held outside the EU countries.

Barroso said the ceremony was a great event that showcased a modern China and a China that was much respected.

He also said the Expo would be conducive to a stronger common understanding between China and the EU." (See World hails opening of Shanghai Expo)

3) Reuters is reporting that China spent about $58 billion dollars on the Shanghai Expo. To put this sum into perspective, let's compare the expenditure on the Shanghai Expo to the annual military budgets of the top ten countries in the world. The Shanghai Expo cost is exceeded only by five countries (e.g. U.S., China, France, U.K., and Russia at $58.6 billion), but it is lagged by five other countries in the top ten (e.g. Germany at $46.8 billion, Japan, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India). (See Factbox: Five facts about the Shanghai World Expo | Reuters and List of countries by military expenditures - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
 
peace over warfare, but never forget the threat of warfare.

good to see yet another investment in peace.
 
3) Reuters is reporting that China spent about $58 billion dollars on the Shanghai Expo. To put this sum into perspective, let's compare the expenditure on the Shanghai Expo to the annual military budgets of the top ten countries in the world. The Shanghai Expo cost is exceeded only by five countries (e.g. U.S., China, France, U.K., and Russia at $58.6 billion), but it is lagged by five other countries in the top ten (e.g. Germany at $46.8 billion, Japan, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and India).

Don't put much faith in what Reuters or ziopedia says, much of it is rumors and false gossip.


The actual buildings constructed are paid for by their respective countries. The high cost of security is needed, and the infrastructure (subways, roads, facilities, water treatment plants, etc) are going to be developed with or without the Expo.
 
Don't put much faith in what Reuters or ziopedia says, much of it is rumors and false gossip.


The actual buildings constructed are paid for by their respective countries. The high cost of security is needed, and the infrastructure (subways, roads, facilities, water treatment plants, etc) are going to be developed with or without the Expo.

You raise a very good point. Shanghai would have built "the infrastructure (subways, roads, facilities, water treatment plants, etc) [anyway]." This creates a slight problem for me. I will have to think hard to come up with a third fun fact. Perhaps, Shanghai Expo is the world's largest expo with the largest participation ever by 200 countries. I will research a replacement fun factoid.
 

Latest posts

Pakistan Affairs Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom