SHANGHAI - China is set to
become the first developing country to host the World
Exposition, which debuted 151 years ago. The landmark
vote by the 132nd General Assembly of the Bureau of
International Expositions (BIE) in Monaco on Tuesday
awarded the 2010 World Expo to the Shanghai.
The
economic powerhouse on China's east coast had been in
the running for the event against four other cities,
including Yeosu, South Korea. The Seoul government
congratulated China on its victory. In the fourth and
final runoff vote, Yeosu received 34 votes to Shanghai's
54.
The 89 members of the BIE who were invited
to cast their votes were unable to reach the decisive
two-thirds vote in the first three attempts at the
polls. During the runoff process, the Polish city of
Wroclow, Queretaro in Mexico, and the Russian capital
Moscow were eliminated from the race.
Shanghai
Mayor Chen Liangyu said that the exposition will not
only benefit the city and China, but many other
countries. Shanghai has already been quickening its pace
of opening up and development of city infrastructure and
environmental protection since the Chinese government
applied to the BIE on May 2, 2001, to host the 2010
World Exposition.
South Korea had wanted to host
the expo to expand on the positive impact earned through
the country's hosting of the 1988 Olympics and the 2002
Federation Internationale de Football Association World
Cup. The Seoul government and conglomerates such as
Hyundai Motor Co also wanted to win the event because
the World Expo could potentially bring economic and
cultural benefits that surpass all other expositions and
sporting events.
In addition, a successful bid
would have have been good for promoting South Korea as
the emerging hub of business activity in Northeast Asia.
An organizer for the Yeosu Expo admitted that he
was disappointed with the results, but pointed out that
it was a hard fight from the outset. He estimated that
many BIE members had opted for China in the final vote
because of that country's growing economic clout and
potential for many countries to expand involvement
there. China is also set to host the 2008 Summer Olympic
Games in its capital city, Beijing.
Yeosu is a
rural city in South Jeolla province. The expo is
expected to attract 70 million visitors to Shanghai.
Chinese officials have pledged to invest US$3 billion in
transport and infrastructure ahead of the exhibition,
which is scheduled to run between May 1 and October 31,
2010.
