The Taiwan Pavilion at the on-going Shanghai World Expo was sold for 458.88 million New Taiwan dollars (14.45 million U.S. dollars), the pavilion's operator announced here Thursday.

The operator, Taipei World Trade Center, said the price was 42 million New Taiwan Dollars higher than the minimum bidding price.

Hsinchu City, Miaoli County, and Haur Luen Enterprise Co., Ltd. in Taichung County of Taiwan made bids for the pavilion on Thursday, and Hsinchu City won.

The price tag includes the design of the Taiwan Pavilion's day and night view, LED screens and the flying-lantern platform, the globe-shaped theater, logo, and its metal frame, which will be dismantled and shipped back to the island for reassembly.

The buyer will be permitted to reassemble the pavilion on one of the following islands: Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen or Matsu, the Taipei World Trade Center said.

Wu Tsung-chi, who was bidding on behalf of the Hsinchu City government, said the reassembly of the Taiwan Pavilion would not be likely to start this year as the pavilion must first be dismantled, stored and shipped back to the island after the World Expo closes on Oct. 31.

The pavilion would be rebuilt with funds from both the city government and local companies, he said.

The reassembled Taiwan Pavilion would be roughly the same as the original, but local features would be incorporated into it as the pavilion is scheduled to be part of a convention and exhibition center the city government is planning to build, Wu said.

Chao Yuen-Chuan, President and CEO of Taipei World Trade Center, said he was "very satisfied" about the price the pavilion sold for on Thursday.

Chao said the original team that assembled the Taiwan Pavilion will offer consultations on both hardware and software during the reassembly.

"We hope the Taiwan Pavilion will be a sightseeing highlight in Hsinchu," he said.

The Taipei World Trade Center invited companies and local governments in Taiwan to submit tenders for the pavilion from Aug. 30 to Sept. 15, with the minimum price set at 416.88 million New Taiwan dollars.

The 658-square-meter pavilion, designed by C. Y. Lee, designer of the landmark 508-meter-tall Taipei 101, is one of the most popular pavilions at the Shanghai World Expo. It received its 500,000th visitor on Sept. 8.

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