SHANGHAI: The Shanghai 2010 World Expo will send its good will ambassadors to Taiwan in October to extend a broad invitation to the people of Taiwan to come and enjoy the fun next year, a Shanghai official said yesterday.

Cheng Mei Hong, vice director of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, told CNA that the visit - the second this year - is planned to bring people up to date on how preparations for the World Expo are proceeding.

According to Cheng, Taiwan, together with Hong Kong and Japan, will be one of the major sources of incoming for the 2010 World Expo and the city attaches great importance to giving people of Taiwan a chance to enjoy the fair.

Chen Chen, an assistant director at the World Expo booking center, said the expo authorities have forecast that about 70 million people will visit the event, including 3.5 million from abroad, with nearly 1 million expected to come from Taiwan and 500,000 from Hong Kong.

Taiwan is putting up a pavilion - marking the island's first participation in the global expo since it was held in Osaka in 1970.

The semi-official Taiwan External Trade Development Council plans to raise NT$1 billion ($30.33 million) from local businesses to finance the cost of the pavilion, which will feature local delicacies and performances by various cultural and artistic groups. The expo is to run from May 1 to October 31, next year.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 07/21/2009 page2)