Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, July 04, 2002
China to Offer Aid to Developing Nations Attending Shanghai Expo
The Chinese government will offer 100 million U.S. dollars to developing countries as part of its financial support and guarantee for the World Exposition 2010 if the event is to be held in Shanghai, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan announced Tuesday in Paris.
The Chinese government will offer 100 million U.S. dollars to developing countries as part of its financial support and guarantee for the World Exposition 2010 if the event is to be held in Shanghai, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan announced Tuesday in Paris.
The 100-million-dollar fund "will be used to assist transportation of staff and exhibits as well as the building of national pavilions," said Tang in his presentation to the 131st general assembly of the Bureau of International Exposition (BIE).
"We shall provide the best ever facilities for the staff and exhibits of all participating countries and regions, as well as for the world media," he said.
The Chinese government announced its support to Shanghai's bid for Expo 2010 in December 1999 and Shanghai formally submitted its candidacy to the BIE in May 2001, the first to have done so of five bidding candidates.
"The bid to host World Expo 2010 has the firm support from the Chinese government...We look forward to promoting the cause of world exposition and exploring new frontiers of cooperation for common prosperity," said the Chinese foreign minister.
Apart from Shanghai, Moscow, Mexico City, Poland's Wroclow and South Korea' s Yeoso will present their plans for hosting the 2010 World Exposition to the BIE assembly.
The Russian bidding delegation is headed by Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and the South Korean delegation by Vice Prime Minister Jeon Yoon Churl.
The BIE will decide winner of the bid through anonymous voting in its 132nd general assembly in December.