Press Briefing
On Shandong Promotion Week of Shanghai World Expo

[14:37:38, November 4, 2009] Shandong on Internet: The press briefing is chaired by Mr. Kong Fanke, deputy director of the International Communication Office of Shandong Provincial Party Committee and of the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government.

[14:59:18, November 4, 2009] Kong Fanke: Good morning, media friends, ladies and gentlemen.

[15:00:39, November 4, 2009] Kong Fanke: In order to widen the influence of Shanghai World Expo, inspire the enthusiasm of people of various circles to show concern for and participate in Shanghai World Expo, Shanghai World Expo National Organizing Committee will hold the Shandong Promotion Week of Shanghai World Expo in Jinan from November 5 to 11. Today, we hold a press briefing and have invited Mr. Xu Wei, spokesman of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and head of the Publicity Department of the Bureau, and Mr. Qu Dongtao, deputy director the Office of the Leading Group for Shandong Province’s Exhibition at Shanghai World Expo, to give us a briefing respectively on the preparations for Shanghai World Expo and Shandong Province’s participatory preparations for the Expo. Next, we’ll have Mr. Xu Wei give us a briefing on the preparations for Shanghai World Expo.

[15:02:12, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: Good afternoon, dear deputy director Qu Dongtao, distinguished guests, and media friends. Today I will give a briefing on two points: the first is the World Expo’s history and the preparations for Shanghai World Expo and the second is the bright spots of Shanghai World Expo.

[15:02:57, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: 1.The World Expo’s history and the preparations for Shanghai World Expo. (1) The World Expo history. The first World Expo was the London 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations held in Britain, which was 45 years earlier than the birth of the modern Olympic Games. During the 158 years, the World Expo has been held in nearly 30 counties for 124 times, and the World Expo, the Olympic Games, and the World Cup are ranked as the world’s three major events.

[15:09:36, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: (2) The preparations for Shanghai World Expo. The time of the Shanghai 2010 World Expo is from May 1 to October 31, 2010, a total of 184 days, and the goal is to attract 200 participating countries and international organizations and 70 million visitors from home and abroad. So far, 242 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation, and more than 200 exhibitors have already signed their participation contracts. The participating members of the World Expo have jointly created a new record of the World Expo.

[15:15:36, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: During the World Expo, it is expected that more than 100 art performances of various kinds will be held at the Expo Site every day, with a total of over 20000 sessions.

[15:17:32, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: 2.The bright spots of Shanghai World Expo. Next, I will give a briefing on the bright spots of Shanghai World Expo, or what we can see at Shanghai World Expo. The first thing to see is culture, and we can see the communication and confluence of multiple national cultures.

[15:20:46, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: At the beginning of the preparations for Shanghai World Expo, we formed idea of “technological Expo and ecological Expo”. During the session of Shanghai World Expo, a series of new technologies, new ideas, new energy resources, and new materials will be displayed, applied and promoted.
 
[15:23:08, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: The third thing to see is the development. The present Expo has two distinctive bright spots: the best urban practice area and the Expo on the Internet.

[15:23:27, November 4, 2009] Xu Wei: My briefing is over. Thank you all.

[15:25:00, November 4, 2009] Kong Fanke: We’ll have Mr. Qu Dongtao give us a briefing on Shandong Province’s participatory preparation for Shanghai World Expo.

[15:25:25, November 4, 2009] Qu Dongtao: Today I will give a briefing on three points: 1. our province’s organizational preparations for Shanghai World Expo, 2. a brief description of the key points of Shandong Province’s theme of exhibition, and 3. the progress of various preparations for the Expo.

[15:25:57, November 4, 2009] Qu Dongtao: First, in 2008, our province set up the Leading Group for Shandong Province’s Exhibition at Shanghai World Expo, headed by Mr. Wang Yuanren, executive deputy governor, with the heads of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Publicity Department of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Government Office, and the CCPIT Shandong Sub-council as its deputy directors, and with 24 provincial departments (units) as its members. An exhibition office was set up at the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, which is the leading unit of the exhibition, to take up the leading group’s everyday work, and organize and coordinate our province’s participatory preparations.

[15:34:47, November 4, 2009] Qu Dongtao: Second, a brief description of the key points of Shandong Province’s theme of exhibition. Through public collection，experts’ discussion and the authorities’ examination and approval, our province’s thematic idea of exhibition was defined as “Building a Beautiful Homeland with Harmony and Culture”, that is, with “culture” as the main content, with “harmony” as the central concept, and with “homeland” as the ideal mode of urban development. In May, 2008, at the request of the provincial leaders, the provincial exhibition leading group sent people to consult Ji Xianlin, a master of traditional Chinese learning, on the theme of the exhibition. Mr. Ji Xianlin appreciated our province’s theme very much, and inscribed the words “Mount Tai of boundless green splendor”.

[15:40:21, November 4, 2009] Qu Dongtao: Third, the progress of various preparations for the Expo. 1. The progress of various preparations. Over the past year, under the correct leadership of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, with the substantial support of the relevant provincial departments, and according to the requests of the National Organizing Committee and the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, various preparations for the Expo have been going on in an orderly manner, making solid progress, and have made stage achievements. After meticulous planning and organization, the theme planning and theme demonstration have been successfully completed. The principal officials of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government have examined and basically approved the design scheme for the thematic exhibition. In accordance with the instructions of the provincial officials, the design scheme is being now intensively revised, improved and upgraded, and some exhibition items have entered the production stage.

[15:49:14, November 4, 2009] Qu Dongtao: Finally, on behalf of all my colleagues at the Office for Shandong Province’s Exhibition, I here express my sincere gratitude to media friends for your interest in and support for our province’s preparatory work, and at the same time hope that you will continue to give attention, guidance and support to our work. Thank you!

[15:50:15, November 4, 2009] Kong Fanke: Today`s press briefing is over. Thank you!