If someone were to ask: 'What is the liveliest place in China today? And what is the biggest attraction?' I think most people would answer without hesitation: Shanghai Expo. Since the opening of the Shanghai Expo just over a month ago, on 1

May, many thousands of people every day have been pouring into this 5.28 sq km site spanning the Huangpu River; on the

busiest day there were over half a million visitors.

How can Shanghai Expo attract so many people from China and around the world? I think the main reason is the three 'key features' of the Expo. The first is its unprecedented scale. 246 countries and

international organizations are participating in this Expo, 188 national pavilion days are being held and 39 honour days for international organisations; it has broken the record for the number of participants in a World Expo.

The second is that the theme of the Expo is relevant to real life. As human society develops, cities are functioning better and providing more services, but at the same time problems are becoming increasingly apparent. The theme of the Shanghai Expo is "Better City, Better Life:" it strives to present people's exploration of the future for cities, it vigorously promotes the concepts of greenness, environmental protection and low-carbon, and it has a strong practical significance. The Chinese pavilion - the "Crown of the East," the British Pavilion - the "Seed Cathedral", the French pavilion – the "Perceptual City", the Italian Pavilion – the "People's City", the Japanese pavilion – the "Purple Silkworm Island" … all the national pavilions vividly interpret the World Expo's theme through their designs, construction and displays.

The third feature is the richness of its content. Shanghai Expo is a platform for countries to display their all-round strength in economic, technological, cultural and other areas. In the cultural field alone, there will be up to 20,000 national activities. I was pleased to see that all sectors of British society, including industry and commerce,

finance, technology and culture, are seizing the opportunity to go to Shanghai to hold all sorts of promotional activities, to showcase

the UK's characteristics and excellence. The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) will also be at the Expo, leading British

business enterprises to seek opportunities and expand cooperation in China.

To commemorate the Shanghai Expo, CBBC has produced this photo album to give a comprehensive view of this magnificent spectacle and introduce the great variety of national pavilions. We

congratulate them on this; it is really meaningful to us. I believe readers will gain a very good understanding of the Expo while browsing this supplement. Of course, I hope that you will also have

the opportunity to go to Shanghai, to experience the Shanghai Expo, and see for yourself its unique and unforgettable splendour.

Shanghai welcomes you!

China welcomes you!

His Excellency Mr Liu Xiaoming

Ambassador of the People's Republic of China