Secretary General of the BIE (Bureau of International Expositions), Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales confirmed in Shanghai recently that China has promised a $100 million assistance program to help developing countries participate in 2010 World Expo in Shanghai in line with its Registration Report for the event approved by the BIE General Assembly last December.

Loscertales said the BIE noticed that China has long kept good relations with other developing nations across the world. Especially, it has traditional friendly ties with some developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia.

He believes that China's funds for aiding other nations to participate will help to do a good job in hosting the event.

Loscertales noted the assistance program will help various developing countries optimize their demonstration plans fundamentally to ensure their successful shows. It is expected, he said, China will make effective and wise use of the money.

Loscertales also reveals that China's successful application has encouraged many other developing countries in the past more than three years to join the bidding. For example, Morocco of Africa is planning to apply for a special world exposition.

By People's Daily Online