The global financial crisis will have only limited impact on the Shanghai World Expo 2010, an official with the organizers said.
Wan Jifei, vice director of the Shanghai World Expo Executive Committee, seen here, pledged that the financial crisis would not affect the overall success of the Expo at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of China’s political advisory body.
Although some of the participants had difficulties in raising funds, none of them had yet quit, said Wan, a member of the Standing Committee of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
‘I think all the participating countries are willing to use the Shanghai Expo as an opportunity to boost their national images,’ Wan said.
‘China is willing to offer assistance to help them cut costs and increase efficiencies,’ he said.
China View reported that Zhou Hanmin, another vice director of the Executive Committee, said the organizers of the Expo has set up a special fund of $100 million to facilitate the participation of developing countries.
According to Zhou, budget for the expo included RMB18 billion for venue construction and an operating fund of RMB10.6 billion.
‘The Expo will at least make both ends meet, if it cannot make profit’, he said, adding that tickets to the Expo would be sold at RMB160 each.
More than 70 million visitors were expected to come to the Expo.
Zhou noted that construction of the China pavilion would be finished within this year, and would ‘bring a surprise to the Chinese people.’
The pavilion, dubbed the ‘Oriental Crown’, would feature a collection of high-end technologies and Chinese characteristics.
The environment-friendly pavilion would become a permanent landmark in Shanghai.