A total of 109 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the expo's coordination bureau said in Beijing on Friday.

The bureau said at its fourth working meeting that 96 countries and 13 international organizations have already registered for the expo.

Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi urged the organizers at the meeting to double their efforts as this year is quite important for the preparation work of the expo.

China is hoping to attract 200 countries and international organizations to the Shanghai World Expo, making it the largest of its kind in history.

Earlier reports said that the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, the United Nations, the World Bank and the African Union were on the exhibitor list.

Exhibitors started registering in March this year. The Chinese government has taken a variety of measures to attract exhibitors to the Shanghai World Expo, promising to provide each developing country with at least one exhibition hall free of charge.

The expo, which will last for 184 days, will be held from May 1 to Oct. 31 in 2010 in Shanghai. It is the first time that the expo has been held in a developing country.

Source: Xinhua