SHANGHAI - Copenhagen's iconic statue of The Little Mermaid, known from H.C. Andersen's fairy tale, is scheduled to arrive in China next April for a six-month stay during the Shanghai World Expo, a Danish official said Thursday.

"With the arrival of the statue, the Chinese people will pay closer attention to Denmark, including the country's businesses, cities, people and tourism," said John Hanson, an official with the Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority, which is affiliated with Denmark's Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.

A Danish insurance company will provide transportation insurance for the national icon, said Hanson, who is also the project director of the Denmark Expo Secretariat. The Expo opens next May.

Copenhagen's city council voted March 12 to allow the statue to leave its perch over the port for a visit to China.