(Yonhap Feature) China aims to use Shanghai Expo to make the next leap forward

By Lee Joon-seung
SHANGHAI, March 23 (Yonhap) -- With the 2010 Shanghai World Expo setting the
stage for nations around the world to share developments in business, culture and
technology, Chinese organizers are hoping the event will help their country make
the crucial next leap forward.

Hong Hao, director-general of the expo coordination bureau, pointed out that over
the past century, a number of World Expo host nations have experienced rapid
progress in social and economic development.
"In the case of the 1970 Osaka Expo, Japanese analysts have claimed that the
event permitted the country to grow by more than 50 years," Hong said, adding
that similar instances could be found in Paris and New Orleans and that South
Korea's hosting of the 2012 expo in Yeosu may have the same effect.
"The fair should help foreigners to better understand China while at the same
time permitting the Chinese people to view the world at large," the official
said. Such an opportunity could "educate" Chinese policymakers, academics and
ordinary people about what is happening outside the country.
Better understanding can help fuel interaction and trigger changes vital to
growth in the world's third-largest economy, as measured by gross domestic
product, Hong said. A registered fair of the Paris-based Bureau of International
Expositions (BIE), the expo will run from May 1 through Oct. 31 with a record 231
countries and international organizations pledging to participate.
Planners expect more than 70 million visitors will come to see participating
nations showcase their cultural diversity, technological innovations and plans
for the future. Beijing is footing a total of 28.6 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion)
to build facilities and for operational costs. Ticket sales are expected to help
recoup about 6 billion yuan.
Hong added that while there are no exact data on what kind of benefits could be
derived from the expo, foreign experts estimate it could help Shanghai's regional
economy grow by 2 to 3 percent and may create jobs for as many as 100,000 people.
Shanghai's GDP was tallied at 1.37 trillion yuan in 2008.
He stressed that, reflecting Shanghai's "Better City, Better Life" motto, the
expo could establish new paradigms for urban development crucial for sustainable
growth.
"The event may answer key questions facing many nations experiencing problems
associated with urbanization and could act as a role model for the developing
world," he said.
The site of the expo covers more than 5 square kilometers on both sides of the
Huangpu River. The area was previously one of the most underdeveloped areas of
the city and was badly polluted due to the presence of a steel mill, shipyard and
other factories.
"The 18,000 households in the region have all been resettled in new homes close
by with all efforts being made to make Shanghai 2010 a eco-friendly event with
zero carbon emission from the area," Hong said. Electric cars and those driven by
hydrogen fuel cells will be used for operations inside the expo area, and solar
panels will provide a portion of the required energy.
Similar to steps taken in Beijing ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Hong said
Shanghai will make efforts in the coming months to get people to reduce pollution
and to change the way they think about the environment. Some national pavilions
may even be allowed to remain as permanent buildings if they are judged to have
incorporated sustainability into their designs.
Under BIE rules, most national pavilions are dismantled after the expo although
some may be moved to another location for permanent display.
Hong called on South Korea to start construction on its national pavilion as soon
as possible so as to allow overall work to be completed by the end of the year.
Chang Joon-sang, head of the state-run Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency,
said in a news conference in Shanghai last week that work on the structure --
which will incorporate Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, into the design of its outer
wall -- could begin in mid-May of this year. The structure is to house liquid
crystal displays and highlight the country's prowess in bio and nano
technologies.
Seoul has allocated 29.6 billion won (US$21 million) for the building with
additional funds being sought from the private sector to reach a total of 45
billion won.
Huang Jianzhi, deputy director of expo coordination office and Xu Wei, the
bureau's media spokesman, said the participation of South Korea and Japan is
important because although 95 percent of the visitors will be Chinese, Shanghai
expects 3.5 to 4 million foreign visitors with around 30 percent of those from
the two neighbors.
Officials added that they welcomed any moves that could allow more foreign
visitors to attend the expo and said talks are being arranged with the foreign
ministry to permit temporary visa waivers. South Korean visitors were allowed to
enter Japan without visas for the Osaka Expo and that has since become a
permanent arrangement.
Local expo organizers, meanwhile, said overall work on the expo's facilities
stood at 40 to 50 percent of completion. Work has been progressing at a rapid
pace to finish the 69-meter-tall Chinese pavilion, called the "Oriental Crown."
"Work for the French, Spanish, and Dutch pavilions is moving ahead with Japan
announcing its plan and having concluded a ground-breaking ceremony recently,"
said She Zhipeng, head of the expo's construction operations.
He stressed that extensive cost-saving measures have been taken, with basic
designs being incorporated into temporary buildings so their materials can be
recycled after the expo is over.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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