Relying on its experience hosting the special World Exposition
in 1998, Portugal signed two memorandums of cooperation with
Shanghai Friday to support the city as host of the World Expo
2010.
Visiting portuguese President Jorge Sampaio and Mayor of
Shanghai Municipality Han
Zheng attended the signing ceremony after their meeting in
Jinjiang Grand Hall.
The first memorandum was signed between the Bureau of Shanghai
World Expo Coordination and Portugal's Expo'98 group. And the other
was between Shanghai World Expo Co and the Portuguese-Chinese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"We have decided to establish a consulate general in Shanghai to
tighten our economic ties with China and Shanghai in particular,"
Sampaio told Mayor Han Zheng Friday.
According to the memorandum between the city and the
Portuguese-Chinese Chamber, the latter promised to "promote in
various forms the importance of the Shanghai Expo among Portuguese
entrepreneurs." For instance, the chamber will promote the Expo
through its publication "Infochina Bulletin" and its Website, which
will be linked to the city's official Expo 2010 portal.
According to the other memorandum, Portugal will share its
experience in hosting the special World Expo '98 with officials
from Shanghai. The two sides planned to cooperate on such areas as
gardening planning, exhibition hall design, after-expo use of
exhibition equipment and other relevant business planning, project
management, personnel training and ticket strategy.
The World Expo will be held in Shanghai from May 1 to Oct. 31 in
2010 with a theme of "better city, better life."
(Shanghai Daily, Xinhua January 15, 2005)