Outside In
As a newcomer to China and Shanghai from a smaller and less populated country in Europe, I felt quite small and insignificant when I stood in the queue to get evening tickets for the Expo 2010 Shanghai.
Since my first trip to Shanghai five years ago, I've thought a lot about the Expo 2010 Shanghai. From that time, I wanted to be a part of it. This event is important to me. For me, it is a large world gathering around the idea and model of universality.
The following is a contribution from Mrs. Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, director of the Pacific Pavilion, publishable by Xinhua subscribers.
The following is a contribution from William Fingleton, Head of Press & Information Section, Delegation of the European Union to China & Mongolia, publishable by Xinhua subscribers.
Size apart (millions of visitors) and theme apart (Better city, better life), towards modernity, China today qualifies without question the best candidate.
It does not really matter whether the Shanghai Expo is regarded by the participants as a symbol of China's rise or a gorgeous opportunity for country marketing, the point is that everybody thinks it is special.
With Expo 2010 Shanghai just getting started, many other cities are already positioning themselves as contenders for future Expos.
I had thought I was alone to think negatively of the event, and didn't want to be the one to open the topic.
What is your favorite restaurant or food stall at the Expo?
I made many new friends while waiting the two hours to enter the China Pavilion; tasting local snacks and learning new Chinese words with a multitude of tuition offers while peering into my Mandarin phrase book.
