Shanghai has applied to the central government to build a Disneyland and the best location would be Pudong New Area, Mayor Han Zheng told more than 100 reporters yesterday at an open-door meeting of the Shanghai delegation at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress.

It would be the third Disneyland in Asia after Japan and Hong Kong.

"We have applied to the National Development and Reform Commission but so far we haven't received notice of approval," Han said.

He added Shanghai will abide by the central government's decision and the exact location of the proposed park was not yet fixed.

"Lots of suggestions on the park's location have been put forward but the best choice would be Pudong," Han said.

Walt Disney Co signed a statement of intent to build a Disneyland on the Chinese mainland in 2002, and then set up a venture to develop it. The plan was put on hold soon afterwards because of concerns that the Hong Kong park, which opened in 2005, would suffer.

The Shanghai delegation session, which was opened to media at 3 pm yesterday, attracted more than 100 reporters from about 80 media organizations. Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng and Mayor Han answered questions related to the city's development.

Han said the Maglev extension project has not been listed as one of the 67 major urban construction projects to be launched this year, as the project is still in the public-opinion hearing period and an expert panel will study and assess the project further.

"The city government will listen to the opinions of all sides," he stressed.

Shanghai planned to extend the current 30-kilometer magnetic levitation train line, which runs between Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Metro Station on Metro Line 2, to Hongqiao Airport, including a station near the 2010 World Expo site in Pudong.

But the plan triggered opposition from some residents over the project's possible environmental effects.

"All citizens have the right to express their opinions but they have to express their opinions in accordance with the corresponding legal procedures," Han said.

Answering a question on the city's social security fund scandal, Party Secretary Yu said the cases involving city officials caught up in the scandal have all been transferred to legal departments.

The scandal brought down former Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Liangyu in September 2006 and several other high-profile city officials. Shanghai retrieved all of the embezzled social security funds, totaling 3.7 billion yuan.

"The case is being handled by the Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of and so far there's no court ruling on Chen. It is still too early to announce the ending of the pension-fund case investigation," Yu said.

(Shanghai Daily, March 7, 2008)