The World Expo (World Exposition), as one of the world-class urban events, has entered China¡¯s city on a large scale for the first time.

 

As one of the top manifestations of city activities, the World Expo is defined as ¡°urban event¡± in a general academic field. On the basis of politics, economy and culture, it is not only characterized by longest duration, largest flow of people gathered as well as a large input quantity, but also displays the highest economic, social, cultural and technological achievements of human society, which, for the host city, is a veritable feast. 

 

Cities, as center of human civilization, play the most important role in globalizing economic, political and cultural activities. In the face of increasingly fierce global competition, each city stands  on the point of historical development to adjust its position, implement appropriate strategies and shape its own image. Meanwhile, on the basis of analysis and comparison, city¡¯s existing positive force is fully brought into to develop its locationally advantageous position so as to boost its competitiveness, cohesion, radiation and attraction. Since global events are seldom seen in Shanghai and China during the past 10years, this is a rare golden opportunity for Shanghai to show its new and amazing city image to the whole world, which will be of great economic and even political importance.

 

Globalization makes cities go out ¡°decently¡±. Since competition today is an economy-based one of overall national strength, and all of the national political, economic and cultural activities are held in cities, cities, thus, can be called constituent cells of a nation.

 

Shanghai World Expo will boost Shanghai¡¯s cultural identity worldwide. The essence of the World Expo is a kind of tourism event and an inevitable result of ancient market development. However, its fundamental purpose and significance have already transformed from product exchange to the modeling and promotion towards a country¡¯s politics, economy, and culture, which fundamentally speaking, is to achieve national and regional cultural identity in a wider scope through cultural exchanges and transmission. Shanghai has successfully bid for the world Expo 2010, and has chosen city as its theme for display. The Expo site is located at the waterfront of Huangpu River area, which condenses Shanghai¡¯s modern development track: the Old Shanghai Town before 19^th century, the Bund of early 20^th century, Lujiazui CBD of late 20^th century as well as the North Bund Shipping Center that is under construction. All of these are just the main platform which can best show Shanghai¡¯s modern civilization achievements.

 

In the face of fierce global competition, cities¡¯ development and renewal have added several soft factors besides cities¡¯ existing hardware construction ever since 1990s, which means to make high-level demands on city development so as to meet people¡¯s requirements for living---through the modeling and promotion of city image, its competitiveness can be enhanced in pursuit of greater competitiveness. The holding of the Shanghai World Expo is just in line with Shanghai¡¯s current development hotspot and point.

 

 

 

by  SHINY CO,.LTD