Shanghai has borne witness to China's long and complex evolution into a modern urban nation. Over the course of the last 160 years or more, history has left its indelible mark on the city. The flavor of the past and the prosperity of the present blend in Shanghai to create an open and vital culture that is contemporary, cosmopolitan, and distinctively Chinese.

The decision to hold World Expo 2010 in Shanghai has great symbolic significance. As China undergoes explosive development and urbanization, Shanghai's transformation from an industrial city into an integrated and innovative urban space offers a role model for the entire country. The meeting of Shanghai and the World Expo is a historic moment for both Shanghai and China.

Shanghai World Expo 2010, built around the theme "Better City, Better Life," imagines the future of the human urban environment. At this gathering, the world's countries can display their achievements in urban civilization, exchange experiences about urban development, and disseminate advanced urban concepts. In 2010, a Chinese city on the banks of the Huangpu River embraces the cities of the world. Shanghai Expo offers a window from Shanghai into China, from China into the world, and from today into the future.

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