The August issue of the Magazine for Corps Diplomatique carries an interview to Ambassador Tang Guoqiang on World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The full text is as follows:

Q: The Shanghai World Expo 2010 was opened on May 1. We all saw a splendid opening ceremony on television. It’s said that the Shanghai World Expo has made its mark as being the most impressive in the history of World Expo for more than 150 years. Can you give me a brief introduction?

A: The World Exposition has had a history of 159 years since its birth in 1851. It’s the first time that the World Expo is held in a developing country. The Shanghai World Expo indeed made its mark in history in many aspects. The Expo Shanghai has attracted a participation of 189 countries and regions and 57 international organizations. The Expo Park covers an area of 5.28 square kilometers. There is a record number of 42 self-built foreign exhibition halls. The total number of visitors is expected to reach 70 million, and 102 foreign dignitaries (Vice Presidents and above) have confirmed their participation either in the opening or closing ceremonies, or in their own national pavilion days. These numbers are unprecedented in the history of World Expo. In addition, there will be 1,000 cultural events and 17,000 performances during the Expo, with nearly 100 performances every day.

It’s also the first time the World Expo to be held in the centre of an extremely large and densely populated metropolitan. 272 enterprises and more than 18,000 families were relocated. 2 million volunteers were mobilized. About 14,000 journalists at home and abroad will attend the Expo and a special fund of 100 million U.S. dollars has been set up to facilitate the participation of developing countries.

Q: The theme of this Expo is "Better City, Better Life". Why do you choose this theme?

A: The world is now facing the most rapid period of urban development it has ever known. Therefore, "City" becomes a common topic for all countries and human beings. By choosing "Better City, Better Life", we hope the Expo could answer three questions: "What kind of city can make a better life"; "What kind of lifestyle can make the city better";" How can we achieve sustainable development of the cities.” They are not new questions, but they need new answers. As Aristotle said, "Human beings must be subject to the authority of the city-state in order to attain the good life", so this was our initial idea. "Better city" means to encourage economic development, technological innovation and integration of cultural diversity. When more people live together in a city, communities and rules need to be created to ensure people live a "better life". So at first we set four sub-themes: "Blending of diverse cultures in the city ", “Economic prosperity in the city”,” Innovations of science and technology in the city" and "Remodeling of the communities in the city." "Interactions between urban and rural areas” was later added to highlight the relationship between urban and rural areas. Of course, every country and its people in the era of globalization should present their own solutions and ideas. I believe this Expo will help find new answers by combining different cultures and ideas together.

Q: New technology and inventions are always the highlights of the World Expo. These latest technologies and products sometimes will deeply influence people’s lives in the future. Can you introduce some technology highlights in the Shanghai Expo?

A: Yes. Lots of new technologies and products are displayed. I remember I saw on TV a new invention named Gomboc, created by two Hungarian mathematicians, is displayed in the Hungary pavilion. It is the first known homogenous object with one stable and one unstable equilibrium point, similar to the shape of the Chinese roly-poly. The Germany pavilion’s highlight is a cone-shaped structure housing a revolving metal sphere, three meters in diameter and covered with LEDs, which will be activated by the noise and movement of spectators. Some products are expected to appear at home in maybe 10 years’ time. For example, an experimental car called the Leaf, which is developed by a Chinese company. It looks a lot like a Smart car, but it produces its own energy, powered by sun and wind. In the pavilion hosted by Cisco Systems there is a technology called TelePresence, which is a live video network that seamlessly connects many different devices and systems. Imagine a large flat screen on your living room wall that easily enables you to communicate with friends, family and co-workers in a live, Skype-like video feed. The same system will let you take a class remotely or help you change your transit plans if there's a storm. I also saw on TV a capsule containing a mini-camera that can be swallowed for internal medical checks. The camera can then be discharged naturally, giving no pain for the patient. In many pavilions, broadband video is everywhere, and companies like Motorola are using the expo to demonstrate their latest 4G network. Certainly, some innovations always grab the headlines. For example Japan’s violin-playing robots are attracting thousands of visitors for each hour.

However, I think the main innovation and creativity in the Expo are embodied in two aspects: "low carbon" and "environmental protection". 4.6-megawatt solar power generators and a group of 34 3-megawatt wind power generating units are used to supply clean energy for the six-month long exposition. In the landmark four pavilions along the Central Axis of the expo site, LED lamps account for more than 80 percent of the lighting system. After the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Shanghai Expo will continue to have a zero-emission of vehicles in the expo site with the use of various kinds of electricity-driven cars.

Q: You said there are 42 self-built foreign exhibition halls in this Expo. Which one impressed you the most? How do these venues present the theme “Better City, Better Life”?

A: Same as the different exhibits displayed, the different pavilions are also highlights in the Expo. All pavilions of the participating countries and organizations are distinctive. Each pavilion expresses a certain concept, a value and a kind of thinking on the model of urban development. For example, the Russian Pavilion integrates a child’s vision of the future together with the traditional Russian construction style and symbols of modern Russian art. That is why the pavilion looks innocent and childlike. Just as a Russian children's writer said, the best city is the one children like most. The Japanese Pavilion looks like a lying "Silkworm". The three "antennas" are used for thermal dissipation and rainwater collection. The purple "skin" was made of transparent recyclable laminated films. The external walls of the Spanish Pavilion are decorated by 8524 pieces of rattan whips and boards. The theme of the Danish Pavilion is "Welfairytales" (Welfare + Fairytales). It shows to the outside world the Danish people's everyday lives, and how they improve their city lives through cooperation with China. The UK Pavilion looks like a dandelion clock, with 60,000 needle-like protrusions. 1 or 2 seeds are placed at the end of each protrusion. "Seed" is what the British want to express. Their concern is the protection and continuity of natural species.

Many pavilions of the developing countries are also very special. For example, the pavilion of Saudi Arabia contains the world's largest 3D cinema with a screen of 1600 square meters. Many African countries attach importance to rural problems. The speed of their urbanization is fast and a large number of farmers are moving into the cities. Therefore, to retain the rural population contributes also to urban development. This is a unique perspective.

Q: People talk a lot about “China Pavilion” in red color. What is that special for?

A: China Pavilion is also called "The Crown of the East". Its distinctive roof is made of traditional dougong or brackets, which date back more than 2,000 years. The dougong style features wooden brackets fixed layer upon layer between the top of a column and a crossbeam. This unique structural component of interlocking wooden brackets is one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese architecture. Other pavilions along the main axis of the Expo Park contain the Expo Boulevard, Theme Pavilion, World Expo Center and Expo Cultural Center. These buildings not only look unique, but also are models in energy saving. They are practicing the concept of "a green World Expo" and highlighting the importance of energy saving and low-carbon buildings in future urban constructions.

Q: How do you think of the Norwegian Pavilion?

A: For many Chinese people, the first glance at the Norwegian Pavilion reminds them of Haruki Murakami’s book "Norwegian Wood." I think the shape of the pavilion reflects the theme. 15 huge Norwegian "pine" trees together with the external wall decorated with Chinese bamboo reflect the harmony of city and nature. The theme of the Norwegian Pavilion is “Powered by nature”. It wants to tell the people that nature is the driving force of urban development, not merely the technology. The Norwegian Pavilion consists of 5 parts: The Mist, The Coast, The City Forest, The Fjord and The Arctic. They are showing Norwegian-style lives, cities and sustainable development, and explaining the concept and idea of energy efficiency and a healthy lifestyle. So far as I know the Norwegian Pavilion attracts a lot of visitors from China and other countries of the world.

Q: It’s said that "to host the World Expo is China's long-time wish". Is it true?

A: Exactly. China's first official participation in the World Expo was in 1876. Since then, many people of insight have not only wished to participate in the Expo, but also to host one. More coincidentally, in 1910, in a science fiction called New China written by a young man named Lu Shi’e, he fabricated the scene that 100 years later the World Expo would be held in Shanghai. However, China was so weak at that time and to host the World Expo was just a dream. Since the founding of New China and especially after the reform and opening up, China has achieved 30 years of rapid development. Since 1982, China has participated in 12 World Expos. In 2001, China formally made its bid for hosting the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, and expressed the wish of 1.3 billion Chinese people to host this World Expo. In 2002, the Bureau of International Expositions decided to grant the right to host the World Expo 2010 to Shanghai, which finally made the Chinese people’s long-term dream come true.

Q: China has invested considerable financial, human and material resources in this Expo. What do you expect the Expo will bring to Shanghai and China, and even to the world?

A: To make the 2010 Shanghai World Expo succeed, China indeed launched a national effort and invested considerable human and material resources. However we have been adhering to the concept of "thrift in managing the Expo", avoiding any unnecessary luxury and waste. The Shanghai World Expo is an opportunity and a window for China to learn from the world. It is also a good chance for the world to see the real China. The World Expo will not only help promote World’s economic growth and technological innovation, but also multi-cultural exchange and mutual understanding among the people of the world.

Q: Do you think the Expo in Shanghai will help the world economy get out of difficulties?

A: The 1933 Chicago World Expo witnessed the great turning point of the American and the world’s economy from the Great Depression to recovery. The 1970 Osaka World Expo fully demonstrated the great development of the post-war Japan. I believe the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will demonstrate China's rapid growth and bring a ray of sunshine to the world economy in crisis. Just like the Italian economist Renato Brunetta said: "The Shanghai World Expo takes place in a transitional period when the world economy is recovering from the end of the crisis to a new period of development. The timing is very beneficial. Just like sailing in a storm, although still in the wind and rain, we have seen the light from the distant lighthouse. For the world economy, the Shanghai World Expo is a ray of sunshine which brings hope for the future."

Q: Your Excellency, thank you very much for this interview today. Finally, I still have a small question. After listening to your introduction, I’d like to go to Shanghai to see the World Expo too. I wonder if you can give me some suggestions if I also want to visit some nearby cities.

A: You’re sharing the same thoughts with many others. It is indeed a very good opportunity to have a look at the neighboring cities while visiting the Expo in Shanghai. In fact, the Expo period is precisely the tourist season of the Yangtze River Delta. Many places in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and other provinces are worth visiting, such as the ancient city of Shaoxing, the West Lake in Hangzhou, the Gardens in Suzhou, the old capital Nanjing, the Huangshan Mountain and the eco-tours around Wuxi Taihu Lake. All of these are good choices. If you have time, I suggest you go even farther, since there are direct flights from Shanghai to many other places across China. The Shanghai World Expo will last for six months. I believe that the Shanghai World Expo will give you pleasant surprises and leave you with good memories.

Reporter: Thank you.