Amid reports that China would locate a “Taiwan pavilion” at next year’s World Expo in Shanghai within the section for Chinese pavilions, the Taipei City Government yesterday said it was not part of the planning for that pavilion, while two Taipei pavilions would not be located within the Chinese section.
The city government, which has been invited to set up two exhibits showcasing its citywide wireless network and garbage-recycling scheme at the World Expo 2010, said that it had not participated in planning the Taiwan pavilion and that the city’s two exhibits would be located in the Urban Practices Area.
City government spokesman Yang Hsiao-tung (羊曉東) said a Taiwan pavilion had been proposed by Taiwanese businessmen in China to promote culture and other aspects of Taiwan.
The content of the display and location remain uncertain, he said, but Taipei’s pavilions will be placed alongside exhibits of other cities from around the world.
Shanghai City Government Deputy Secretary-General Hong Hao (洪浩) on Saturday declined to confirm whether organizers would put the Taiwan pavilion in the Asia Area, saying the location of the Taiwan pavilion had not been determined.
The city’s proposal to turn Taipei into a wireless city and promote recycling drew the attention of the World Expo 2010 committee during President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) term as Taipei mayor.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) visited Shanghai in June for the signing of an agreement for the expo between representatives of the two cities.
In addition to the two Taipei pavilions and the Taiwan pavilion, the Taiwan-based Aurora Group will set up a corporate pavilion with the theme “Chinese Jade Culture.”
RSS