Blog about China Trade Show, Exhibition and Sourcing

A total of 240 countries and organizations have now committed to the biggest-ever held World Expo, which will be held between May and October, including the United States. As the last major country to join the event, US signed up on July 10 for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, according to official report.

US tore all the speculation into pieces and put minds at ease by saying, it will be there. Although the uncertainty followed reports that the US team wanting to take part in the exposition in May was struggling with a lack of funding, Jose Villarrel, US Commissioner General for the 2010 Expo said, “We will have a pavilion built on time and on budget. I don’t think we will expeditiously get the structure built and open on time for the grand opening.”

The European Union, who signed a participation agreement with Chinese organizers on Jul 10, will take 1,000 sqm of exhibition space in the national pavilion of Belgium, the country which will have the EU presidency during the 184-day event.

The US domestic laws have blocked it from holding expo by using government funding since 1991. Therefore, it only relies on corporate funding for expo, which is, directly leading to its reducing presence at subsequent World’s Fair.

Nick Winslow and Ellen Eliasoph, two former Warner Brothers executives, were given the job of raising the needed finance for the US pavilion – $61 million. About half of the money has been raised, said Villarreal, he was also confident about securing the rest. “We are completely certain that we will be able to raise the fund necessary to build a pavilion that we are proud of.”

As the largest city and the financial centre in China, Shanghai has taken the expo as a chance to establish a powerful global profile in the same way as the Olympics in Beijing last year.

The event has commitments from a record of 240 countries and international organizations, which is out of expectation.

The US pavilion theme of Celebration 2030 will allow American-Chinese guides to take visitors on a tour of the US city in future. Hong Hao, director-general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination said, “we believe the 70 million visitors will find themselves indulged in the authentic American culture scenario, and let their imagination fly in a beautiful urban life.”

The confirmation was especially meaningful because it is the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations of the two nations this year, according to Beatrice Camp, the US Consul General in Shanghai. She also added, when deciding to join China’s first-ever World’s Fair, they are ready for more engagement, more exchanges, more visits and more dialogue for the next 30 years.

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