Sixty-two countries and international organizations have
confirmed their participation in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo,
announced the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination (BSWEC) on
Friday.
"Our ultimate goal is to attract more than 200 countries and
international organizations, outnumbering the 155 that were at the
2000 World Expo in Hanover, Germany" said Zhou Hanmin, deputy
director of the BSWEC.
Zhou said the confirmed participants include 22 countries from
Africa, 11 from Europe, 15 from Asia and four from Oceania.
International organizations including the United Nations and the
World Bank have also officially confirmed they will participate in
the expo.
Franklin Lavin, US Under Secretary of Commerce for International
Trade who paid a recent visit to China, said that the United States
will support and likely participate in 2010 Shanghai World
Expo.
The official added that the construction of the World Expo park
will kick off this month.
(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2006)