China's economic hub Shanghai plans to hold a forum on the World Expo every year ahead of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, in a bid to draw new concepts from around the world.
The announcement was jointly released by the Shanghai Municipal Government and Bureau of International Exhibition (BIE) here Wednesday.
BIE Secretary-general Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales said it was the first such move in the 150-year history of the World Expo.
Shanghai Vice Mayor Zhou Yupeng said the Shanghai Municipal Government promised to host the most successful World Expo in history, when the city bid for the event.
The first forum is to be held on Oct. 30, with the theme "Facing the future World Expo". More than 230 experts from home and abroad will attend the forum and offer strategies in technological innovation and sustainable development.