EXPO Express

In Brief

New Zealand launches its interactive Website, giving visitors a chance to get involved

Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton says the UK Pavilion will showcase a young and fashionable image

The Sesame Street gang is poised to hit the Expo stage with BASF Kids’ Lab in the “Magic Map Show”

The 2010 World Expo Business Series kicks off, for multinationals interested expanding their presence in China beyond the Expo

Participants

New Zealand Launches Expo Website

4/17/10 – The New Zealand Pavilion launched its official Website (www.newzealandexpo2010.com) Friday, inviting visitors to participate in interactive games. The Website presents New Zealand’s natural landscapes, Kiwi hospitality and innovations. To increase interactivity, it invites famous visitors, including Chinese media personality Hong Huang, Kevin Tsai and Yuan Yue, to share their favorite parts of New Zealand. The Website is also a platform for visitors to share their impressions and pictures of New Zealand, and offers a brief quiz, in which participants have a chance to win New Zealand gifts. At the “Cool Downloads” section, people can download New Zealand wallpaper and ringtones. The site is well equipped with sharing functions, enabling people to leave comments at the site or go to New Zealand Pavilion’s zones on popular Chinese Websites, such as renren.com or douban.com, to discuss the pavilion and contribute ideas. The Website also has a virtual tour function for people to explore the New Zealand Pavilion online.

[en.expo2010.cn]

Hamilton Speaks at UK Pavilion

4/16/10 – Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton from the McLaren team on Friday said the UK Pavilion would showcase a “young and fashionable” image of the country through the innovative “Seed Cathedral,” as he said the biggest features of British cities were their green approach and innovation. During his visit to the UK Pavilion, he said it was a misunderstanding to view the nation as an outmoded and conservative country, and that the pavilion – with its centerpiece “Seed Cathedral”, pierced by more than 60,000 acrylic rods that contain seeds from an array of plants – would help change such stereotypes. Hamilton was in Shanghai for Sunday’s F1 Grand Prix race.

[Hu Min / en.expo2010.cn]

Canada Focuses on Creativity

4/16/10 – Canadian entertainment company, Cirque du Soleil, described as a dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment, will be ever-present at the Expo, writes leisure wire Relax News. Cirque designed the creative concept for the Canada Pavilion, created the public presentation, produced the cultural program and developed strategic corporate alliances under the theme “The Living City: Inclusive, Sustainable, Creative” – and they have hired more than 150 artists to perform in and around the site for the duration of the event. In addition, there will be 45 short films screened in the Canada Pavilion representing the established and rising generation of filmmakers in Canada. With these offerings, the Pavilion is expecting a total of five million visitors, at an average of 30,000 per day.

[Relax News]

Malaysia to Highlight Tourism

4/16/10 – Tourism Malaysia chairman Dr. Victor Wee Eng Lye said Wednesday that he thinks Malaysia’s commitment to the Expo is a reflection of the importance placed on its relationship with China. He said the Expo would also provide a unique platform to further strengthen tourist traffic between China and Malaysia, and that the 3,000 square meter pavilion represents the country’s way of life and culture in order to promote tourism in Malaysia.

[Asia Pulse]

Thai-China Free Trade Prospects Strong

4/16/10 – The Thai government is stepping up its campaign to make the best use of free trade agreements and the Expo, to increase shipments to China. The government this year plans to team up with leading department stores and importers from China, including City Shop, Carrefour, Lotus Supercenter, Isetan, Metro and Wal-Mart, to stage marketing and sales activities here. According to Mrs. Srirat Rastapana, the Export Promotion Department’s director-general, plans are also afoot to develop distribution channels for Thai gems and jewelry products and a logistic network, and to promote Thai products and services through local media in Shanghai and leading centers. The department has also partnered with the private sector to showcase Thai services and products at the Expo, placing a particular focus on food and beverages; design, fashion and lifestyle; decoration and furniture. The ministry will also promote matchmaking between Thai and Chinese businesses on the sidelines of the event to raise values of trade and investment. Srirat said the event should help raise the value of Thai exports by 10-15% from $16.12 billion in 2009.

[Phusadee Arunmas / Bangkok Post]

Disney Joins USA Pavilion

4/15/10 – USA Pavilion organizers announced Wednesday that The Walt Disney Company in China has joined as a sponsor of the USA Pavilion. U.S. Commissioner General José H. Villarreal said he and fellow organizers were honored to have Disney’s support for the USA Pavilion in China: “Disney has a unique connection with kids and families all over the world and sends a message of imagination, hope and success to all.” With the theme “Rising to the Challenge,” the USA Pavilion will showcase American culture, values, innovation and business, while celebrating the friendship and cooperation between the U.S. and China.

[Hu Min / en.expo2010.cn]

Sponsors

Motorola Shows TD-LTE Readiness at Expo Site with China Mobile

4/16/10 – Motorola Inc.’s Networks business announced Friday that it had showcased an end-to-end TD-LTE demonstration via the world’s first TD-LTE USB dongle at the Expo site, to support the “TD-LTE Showcase Network Opening Ceremony” hosted in Shanghai on April 15. Delegates at the ceremony experienced applications that run over a TD-LTE network via USB dongles, including high-definition video wall (simultaneous 24 video streams), remote monitoring and high-speed Internet browsing applications. “We are very excited to support China Mobile in bringing the world’s first TD-LTE USB dongle demonstration enabled by our TD-LTE system,” said Dr. Mohammad Akhtar, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Networks business in Asia Pacific.

[PR Newswire]

General Info

Expo to See 15 Orchestral Performances in May

4/20/10 – May is Expo concert month at the Oriental Art Center and 15 concerts by famous orchestras will be staged. The first expo concert at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center on May 1 will be performed by the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by British maestro and early music expert Roger Norrington. “Our concerts and recordings give you the opportunity to hear how a modern symphony orchestra can reconnect with its roots and embrace the traditions of the past,” said Norrington. To celebrate the Expo opening, they will perform Haydn’s “Symphony No. 1,” Prokofiev’s “Piano Concerto No 3,” Rihm’s “Verwandlung 3″ and Elgar’s “Enigma Variations.” Young American pianist Claire Huangci will perform in the concert that begins at 10am. In the evening, the Philharmonia Orchestra from London will make its Shanghai debut under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy. Other performances for May include: the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Swiss Charles Dutoit, with Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich; the BBC Symphony Orchestra led by Czech conductor Jiri Belohlovek; and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its new conductor Daniel Harding from England. The Oriental Art Center, a major Expo performance venue, will hold almost 100 concerts during the six-month Expo through the end of October. Tickets are 15-200 yuan; the art center can be phoned at (21) 6854-1234.

[Nie Xin / Shanghai Daily]

Sesame Street and BASF Kids Join for Expo

4/19/10 – Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster and the rest of the Sesame Street gang, along with BASF Kids’ Lab, are taking to the Expo stage for an interactive educational program, “Magic Map Show.” Brought on by Sesame Workshop (the producers behind Sesame Street) and BASF Kids’ Lab, the live show takes children on a world journey and includes a hands-on experiment called “Recycling of Dirty Water” on how to produce clean water. To kick off the Expo appearances, the Sesame Street Muppets visited Luwan Youth Activity Center in Shanghai to give kids a sneak peek at the fun and games that will be offered twice daily beginning May 1 when “Magic Map Show” opens at Dock Theater at the Expo Garden in Pu Xi. “Big Bird first came to China in 1983 and when he heard about the World Expo in Shanghai, he couldn’t wait to come back to see some old friends, many of whom have their own children today, and to make some new friends like Haibao,” said Maura Regan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sesame Workshop’s Global Consumer Products.

[PRNewswire]

Hotel Discounts Offered

4/16/10 – Hotels such as JW Marriott Hotel at Tomorrow Square in Shanghai are offering discounted packaged deals encouraging a visit to the Expo. JW Marriot’s packaged deal includes a 15% discount, complimentary breakfast and a single day admission ticket with a daily Expo shuttle bus. The Hotel is also the exclusive hotel partner for the UK Pavilion and will host events including Afternoon Tea at the Pavilion, to emphasize the strong relationship between the Hotel and Pavilion.

[China Economic Review]

Direct Cross-Strait Flight Plans May Soon Take Flight

4/16/10 – Direct charter flights may go between Songshan Airport in Taipei and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport during the expo period, starting in May at the earliest, in order to transport expected large numbers of Taiwanese visitors to the event. The arrangement was raised by Fan Liqing, spokesperson of Taiwan Affairs Office, State Council, on Wednesday. Others are in favor, and according to the “supplementary agreement for cross-Taiwan Strait aviation link,” signed in Nanjing last April, direct charter flights can be arranged via consultation between the civil-aviation regulators of both sides. The Expo’s inauguration is expected to increase the strained capacity for direct flights between Taipei and Shanghai, which is the busiest cross-Strait air route.

[Philip Liu / Taiwan Economic News]

East China Coal Imports Soar in 1st Quarter, to Continue with Expo

4/16/10 – Imports of coal to China’s eastern provinces increased sharply in the January-March period from a year earlier, with the trend set to continue during the Expo, the China News Service reported Friday. Inbound shipments of coal through the Jiangsu port totaled 4.14 million metric tons between January and March, almost six times more than the year-earlier period, the news service said on its Website, citing customs data. The Expo will make the Yangtze River Delta region a hot travel spot this year, which will further boost coal demand, it said.

[chinanews.com, Dow Jones]

Expo Business Series Kicks Off

4/15/10 – The 2010 World Expo Business Series had its first executive speech in Shanghai on Wednesday. Speaker James Rogers, Chief Executive Officer of the world-leading Eastman Chemical Company, talked about the experience of his company, which earned 10 percent of its total annual revenue from the Chinese market. The company made clear its ambition at the salon to expand its Chinese business by more than a quarter a year in the next few years. Rogers said the Expo would play a key role in the company’s long-term development strategy. The Series was initiated by David Turchetti, Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham), who took the upcoming Expo as a likely catalyst for overseas companies aiming to expand their presence in China. Other heavyweight multinationals – including General Electric Company, J.P. Morgan and 3M – are expected to have their executives follow suit, in pitching their commitments to the Chinese market, Expo and beyond.

[Xinhua]

Biz Offering

Shanghai Airports: First Step to Expo 2010

We are pleased to inform you that Hill & Knowlton has recently formed a strategic alliance with JCDecaux Shanghai airports media, and is now launching a “First Step to Expo 2010” offering. With the forecasted 70 million visitors to the Expo, there will be a significant increase of daily flights bringing an unprecedented number of visitors to Shanghai during the six-month period. As the No. 1 touch point for Expo visitors and tourists, Shanghai’s airports are a solid platform to boost your brand exposure, stage promotional events, and make a first impression on consumers in China.

Please get in touch if you are interested in knowing how H&K can help you best leverage this special opportunity. Simply email Claudia Sun at claudia.sun@hillandknowlton.com.cn to receive the offering.