More than 70 million people visited the Shanghai 2010 World Expo, which closed on Sunday, a new record for the number of visitors to an expo. Yet, rather than this record, the ideas it presented for cities and urban life should be its greatest heritage to both the host city and country.

The real significance of this expo lies in the opportunities it has provided for the millions of visitors to consider what would make for a better city and what should be the criteria to improve city life.

In this sense, the theme of the Shanghai Expo, "Better City, Better Life", should not end with its closing. Rather urban planners of both the central and local governments should bear it in mind for a long time to come as they renew their concept of cities.