Shanghai, one of China's principal economic engines, is anticipating the upcoming decision with regard to the host of the World Exposition 2010.

The 132nd General Assembly of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) to be held in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on Dec. 3, will vote to select the host from six candidate cities including Shanghai, which initiated its bid three years ago.

While meeting with a delegation from BIE last March, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that the Chinese people have the ability to host one successful World Expo.

China joined the BIE as its 46th member and announced its support for Shanghai's bid for the World Expo 2010 at a BIE conference on Dec. 8, 1999.

The Chinese government set up a special bidding committee with State Councilor Wu Yi as chairwoman on March 17, 2000 and formallyfiled its application to the BIE on May 2, 2001.

Chinese intellectuals first introduced World Expo to the Chinese people a century ago, asserting that it would promote technological development.

In the current era characterized by opening-up and reform, China has earned the right to host the expo as it recorded a GDP of 1,160 billion US dollars in 2001 and formed an export-oriented economy.

Shanghai, as the economic engine of China, has raised its economic power to the level of high- or middle-income countries, with a per capita GDP of 4,500 US dollars in 2001.

With its successful hosting of the Fortune Forum 1999 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in 2001, Shanghai is qualified and confident to host such high-profile events.

A successful bid will further the economic development of the city and eastern China as a whole, said Chen Liangyu, mayor of thecity.

China submitted its report on the bid for the expo in January this year, the first to do so among the six candidate nations. In letters addressed to the BIE by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji, China stressed that its government and people would strictly fulfill all the commitments made in the bidding report, and that the Chinese government will guarantee full compliance with the conventions relating to international exhibitions.

The government will also provide financial support and guarantees for the exposition and take every possible measure to ensure security and other necessities for all participants, especially those from developing countries.

A survey conducted in August 2000 in 50 Chinese cities showed that 90 percent of Chinese people supported Shanghai's expo bid, and in Shanghai, the figure was 93 percent.

"If the bid succeeds, the future will be more promising both for me and for my region," said Jiang Junfang, a resident living in the proposed expo site, which is currently home to old factories, docks and residences.

BIE officials conducting site investigations spoke highly of Shanghai's proposed layout for the expo.

The theme of "Better city, Better life" marks the first focus on cities since the Chicago Expo of 1933.

Over 70 million visitors are expected to take part in the eventin 2010, topping all previous expos.

The construction of the expo park will require direct investment of about 3 billion US dollars. This will provide ample business opportunities for both Chinese and foreign investors.

Holding the expo in a developing country for the first time is of importance because developing countries are much more interested and hope to improve their infrastructure and the standard of living of their people through the event.

The expo helps the world to get to know developing countries well and vice versa, according to BIE Secretary-General Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales.