Shanghai World Expo organizers said Monday they had emergency plans if the United States fails to show at the event.
Tuesday's China Daily quoted Hong Hao, director-general of the Shanghai World Expo Coordination Bureau, as saying that the bureau has plans for the potential withdrawal of any participants from the event.
He said on request of the Consulate General of the U.S., the expo's organizers had allotted a very "good and appropriate" location for the U.S. pavilion in the expo site.
"Should the U.S. complete fund-raising and project design, it can still use the reserved land for the construction of its pavilion," he said.
Hong nevertheless sounded upbeat about US participation by adding, "progress had been achieved in fund-raising as far as I know thanks to support from both government and enterprises."
Organizers Monday also confirmed that preparations for the expo have been going smoothly, with 234 countries and international organizations having confirmed their participation in the event.
So far, none of them have withdrawn from the event despite the negative impact from the global economic slowdown, Hong said.
The spokesman said more than 1 million tickets for group visitors have been sold for the expo to be held from May 1 to Oct. 31 in 2010, since the sales was open on March 17.
Tickets for individual travelers will be open on July 1 this year.
Hong said the expo is expected to earn 6 billion yuan (878 million U.S. dollars) from ticket sales. The total expense of organizing the event is estimated at 10.6 billion yuan.
The organizers forecast that the event is expected to attracted 70 million visitors, 5 percent of which are overseas visitors.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article