Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SHANGHAI340
2009-07-31 06:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Shanghai
Cable title:
EXPO FEVER AND THE CULT OF HAIBAO: SHANGHAI GOES ALL OUT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SHANGHAI 000340
(CORRECTED COPY)
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR S/GPI/BALDERSTON, AMB. BAGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/PD - STOLTZ, GALT
TREASURY FOR OASIA - DOHNER, WINSHIP
COMMERCE ALSO FOR ITA/MAC/OCEA - MELCHER
AIT ALSO PASS AIT/K AND CLASS
DIRFSI FOR SLS/CHINESE/CROCOLL FOR CHINESE STUDENTS
NSC FOR LOI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BEXP SENV KPAO CH
SUBJECT: EXPO FEVER AND THE CULT OF HAIBAO: SHANGHAI GOES ALL OUT
FOR 2010 WORLD'S FAIR
REF: SHANGHAI 148 (ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS ON "BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE"
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SHANGHAI 000340
(CORRECTED COPY)
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR S/GPI/BALDERSTON, AMB. BAGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/PD - STOLTZ, GALT
TREASURY FOR OASIA - DOHNER, WINSHIP
COMMERCE ALSO FOR ITA/MAC/OCEA - MELCHER
AIT ALSO PASS AIT/K AND CLASS
DIRFSI FOR SLS/CHINESE/CROCOLL FOR CHINESE STUDENTS
NSC FOR LOI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BEXP SENV KPAO CH
SUBJECT: EXPO FEVER AND THE CULT OF HAIBAO: SHANGHAI GOES ALL OUT
FOR 2010 WORLD'S FAIR
REF: SHANGHAI 148 (ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS ON "BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE"
1. (U) Summary: Feverish preparations for Shanghai's World Expo
2010, due to begin next May 1, have taken over every corner of
this city of 20 million people. The authorities have mobilized
government, media, community, cultural, environmental and
engineering resources to ensure a successful and "harmonious"
event for 70 million expected visitors. Secretary Clinton's
personal commitment to ensuring a USA Pavilion won us big
points, while the pavilion groundbreaking on July 17 attracted
nationwide media interest. End Summary.
--------------
U.S. Joins the Party
--------------
2. (U) Official U.S. participation in the May 1 - October 31
2010 World Expo has been an open question for nearly two years,
thanks to restrictions on the use of government funds that mean
all money must be raised from the private sector. By this
spring over 190 countries had signed up to be present at the
party; we were regularly reminded that only the U.S. and Andorra
remained as holdouts.
3. (U) Secretary Clinton's July 1 appointment of a U.S.
Commissioner General gave the signal that the U.S. was committed
to moving ahead, a commitment confirmed two weeks later with a
ceremonial groundbreaking for the USA Pavilion. Coverage of the
July 17 ceremony resulted in a record 2,000 media placements,
many quoting from Secretary Clinton's letter of congratulations
that "The Shanghai Expo represents all that the nations of the
world can accomplish when we work together, the global
challenges we can meet through collective action, and the
progress we can achieve through international cooperation."
4. (U) By hosting the first world's fair ever staged in China,
Shanghai hopes to achieve some of the infrastructure
improvements and garner some of the magic that famous fairs of
yesteryear were known for. The Expo Bureau points out that the
United States itself has hosted a number of historically
significant world fairs, and that now is China's turn. To
emphasize the event's national significance, a clock installed
at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square on May 1 counts down the days
left. Many news broadcasts around the country now open with the
number of days left in the countdown and no official speech is
complete without a nod to Expo.
-------------- -
Great Expectations, Great Expenditures
-------------- --
5. (U) To host the largest Expo in history, the Chinese have
budgeted more than $4.2 billion, including $2.6 billion for
basic infrastructure construction and $1.6 billion for Expo
operations. This is nearly twice the $2.3 million budget for the
2008 Beijing Olympics.
6. (U) City officials predict the Expo will break even and
possibly make a profit from Expo construction bonds, ticket
SHANGHAI 00000340 002 OF 004
income and sponsorship, as well as re-use of the land after the
Expo is finished. Advance tickets are on sale for $24, with
over six million already sold. The Expo expects to sell an
SHANGHAI 00000339 002 OF 004
additional 10 million tickets before the end of 2009 and is
considering opening the fairgrounds one or two hours earlier
than the planned 9 am start to accommodate the expected huge
number of visitors.
7. (U) As part of the preparations, the city government is
funding large scale infrastructure projects, including eight new
metro lines, new roads, parks and residential areas. Shanghai
officials say that the Expo will help increase Shanghai's annual
GDP growth by 2 percent from 2004-2010, bring 1 million jobs and
attract another $44.1 billion of investment for other Expo
related development. By issuing preferential reallocation
policies, the government has relocated more than 18,000 local
households and 272 companies from the Expo site to newly built
locations.
--------------
Expo Mascot Invades Shanghai
--------------
8. (U) "Haibao" or "sea treasure" is the trademarked mascot for
the Expo and a ubiquitous component of the current Shanghai
street scape. Although reportedly based on the Chinese
ideograph for person (ren),Haibao reminds most Americans of a
chubby blue Gumby figure, especially when plastered across huge
billboards all over the city. Haibao comes in many forms and
many places, from two-meter tall statues to cuddly toys, from
video screens in buses, taxis, and subways to interactive online
portals. A campaign calling for Haibao fans to create pictures
of Haibao around the world has already attracted more than
20,000 entries, while a quote from Secretary Clinton noting that
the Haibao mascot in her office is "looking forward to reports"
on the progress of the USA Pavilion scored nearly 2,000
references in Chinese media coverage of the groundbreaking
ceremony.
--------------
Media Saturation
--------------
9. (U) Chinese media run multiple Expo stories daily, with
Shanghai print media creating special pages to cover the
seemingly inexhaustible subject. An "Expo Documentary" screened
during prime time on China's most influential news channel
(CCTV-1) in May; a shorter version now plays all over Asia in
malls, on large screen LCDs and through the mobile handset
advertising network. Hundreds of Expo-themed books,
publications, brochures and CDs are available at every Shanghai
bookstore and newspaper booth.
10. (U) SINA and QQ, China's two most influential web portals
SHANGHAI 00000340 003 OF 004
and social networking sites, have established special pages to
promote the Expo. Mobile phone subscribers receive daily Expo
news through their mobile phone service. Shanghai buses also
broadcast information on the Expo every day to more than 12
million bus commuters. Global marketing includes the
appointment of three famous Chinese stars - NBA giant Yao Ming,
actor Jacky Chan and classical pianist Lang Lang - as Expo
Ambassadors.
--------------
SHANGHAI 00000339 003 OF 004
A Campaign for Every Season
--------------
11. (U) Every week brings a new Expo-focused campaign aimed at
spurring citizens and officials to prepare for next year's big
event:
-The "Shanghai World Expo Civilization Plan of Action" seeks to
eliminate bad habits such as queue-jumping, smoking in public
places and jaywalking.
-An "Expo Pioneer Team" action plan calls for the 1.6 million
Shanghai Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members to play a
"leading role for preparing Expo".
- "Everyone should be responsible for Expo, should participate
in Expo and share Expo with each other" seeks to build a
"harmonious society", a current political focus of the Chinese
Communist Party.
- A "Wish Words to Expo via Mobile Phone SMS" campaign has
inspired thousands of mobile phone users to send messages,
including Chinese poems, expressing their best wishes for the
Expo.
-The "Three-Fives Days of Each Month" campaign focuses on
customer service on the fifth of every month, "Environment
Clean-Up Day" on the fifteenth and "Public Order Day" on the
twenty-fifth.
-"Be an Expo Volunteer" attracted more than 270,000 applicants
during the first month that applications were accepted.
- "Welcome EXPO, Study English" aims to make at least 50 percent
of local citizens able to have simple English daily
conversations with Expo guests. More than 100,000 Shanghai taxi
drivers have been encouraged to study English.
--------------
Going Green
--------------
12. (U) In line with the "Better City, Better Life" focus of
the Expo (reftel),the site features environmental installations
SHANGHAI 00000340 004 OF 004
that will save energy and lower pollution, including rainwater
collection, alternative energy facilities, and eco-vehicles.
Beyond the Expo zone, Shanghai has created a traffic plan to
encourage flexible working hours and implement traffic controls;
the city has also announced a move to phase out 90-octane
gasoline to ease air pollution and create a cleaner Expo.
--------------
Comment
--------------
13. (U) The 2010 Shanghai World Expo will be the largest Expo in
history and the first ever hosted by China. The USA Pavilion at
the Expo provides an unprecedented opportunity to showcase
American innovation and green technologies to tens of millions
of visitors. In a recent Chinese public opinion survey,
respondents named the U.S. pavilion as the place they most
SHANGHAI 00000339 004 OF 004
wanted to visit after the Chinese national pavilion. The
much-heralded U.S. confirmation of participation on July 17
bought us a ticket on what China intends to be an unforgettable
ride to the future.
CAMP
B T
#0339
CAMP
(CORRECTED COPY)
SIPDIS
STATE ALSO FOR S/GPI/BALDERSTON, AMB. BAGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/PD - STOLTZ, GALT
TREASURY FOR OASIA - DOHNER, WINSHIP
COMMERCE ALSO FOR ITA/MAC/OCEA - MELCHER
AIT ALSO PASS AIT/K AND CLASS
DIRFSI FOR SLS/CHINESE/CROCOLL FOR CHINESE STUDENTS
NSC FOR LOI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BEXP SENV KPAO CH
SUBJECT: EXPO FEVER AND THE CULT OF HAIBAO: SHANGHAI GOES ALL OUT
FOR 2010 WORLD'S FAIR
REF: SHANGHAI 148 (ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS ON "BETTER CITY, BETTER LIFE"
1. (U) Summary: Feverish preparations for Shanghai's World Expo
2010, due to begin next May 1, have taken over every corner of
this city of 20 million people. The authorities have mobilized
government, media, community, cultural, environmental and
engineering resources to ensure a successful and "harmonious"
event for 70 million expected visitors. Secretary Clinton's
personal commitment to ensuring a USA Pavilion won us big
points, while the pavilion groundbreaking on July 17 attracted
nationwide media interest. End Summary.
--------------
U.S. Joins the Party
--------------
2. (U) Official U.S. participation in the May 1 - October 31
2010 World Expo has been an open question for nearly two years,
thanks to restrictions on the use of government funds that mean
all money must be raised from the private sector. By this
spring over 190 countries had signed up to be present at the
party; we were regularly reminded that only the U.S. and Andorra
remained as holdouts.
3. (U) Secretary Clinton's July 1 appointment of a U.S.
Commissioner General gave the signal that the U.S. was committed
to moving ahead, a commitment confirmed two weeks later with a
ceremonial groundbreaking for the USA Pavilion. Coverage of the
July 17 ceremony resulted in a record 2,000 media placements,
many quoting from Secretary Clinton's letter of congratulations
that "The Shanghai Expo represents all that the nations of the
world can accomplish when we work together, the global
challenges we can meet through collective action, and the
progress we can achieve through international cooperation."
4. (U) By hosting the first world's fair ever staged in China,
Shanghai hopes to achieve some of the infrastructure
improvements and garner some of the magic that famous fairs of
yesteryear were known for. The Expo Bureau points out that the
United States itself has hosted a number of historically
significant world fairs, and that now is China's turn. To
emphasize the event's national significance, a clock installed
at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square on May 1 counts down the days
left. Many news broadcasts around the country now open with the
number of days left in the countdown and no official speech is
complete without a nod to Expo.
-------------- -
Great Expectations, Great Expenditures
-------------- --
5. (U) To host the largest Expo in history, the Chinese have
budgeted more than $4.2 billion, including $2.6 billion for
basic infrastructure construction and $1.6 billion for Expo
operations. This is nearly twice the $2.3 million budget for the
2008 Beijing Olympics.
6. (U) City officials predict the Expo will break even and
possibly make a profit from Expo construction bonds, ticket
SHANGHAI 00000340 002 OF 004
income and sponsorship, as well as re-use of the land after the
Expo is finished. Advance tickets are on sale for $24, with
over six million already sold. The Expo expects to sell an
SHANGHAI 00000339 002 OF 004
additional 10 million tickets before the end of 2009 and is
considering opening the fairgrounds one or two hours earlier
than the planned 9 am start to accommodate the expected huge
number of visitors.
7. (U) As part of the preparations, the city government is
funding large scale infrastructure projects, including eight new
metro lines, new roads, parks and residential areas. Shanghai
officials say that the Expo will help increase Shanghai's annual
GDP growth by 2 percent from 2004-2010, bring 1 million jobs and
attract another $44.1 billion of investment for other Expo
related development. By issuing preferential reallocation
policies, the government has relocated more than 18,000 local
households and 272 companies from the Expo site to newly built
locations.
--------------
Expo Mascot Invades Shanghai
--------------
8. (U) "Haibao" or "sea treasure" is the trademarked mascot for
the Expo and a ubiquitous component of the current Shanghai
street scape. Although reportedly based on the Chinese
ideograph for person (ren),Haibao reminds most Americans of a
chubby blue Gumby figure, especially when plastered across huge
billboards all over the city. Haibao comes in many forms and
many places, from two-meter tall statues to cuddly toys, from
video screens in buses, taxis, and subways to interactive online
portals. A campaign calling for Haibao fans to create pictures
of Haibao around the world has already attracted more than
20,000 entries, while a quote from Secretary Clinton noting that
the Haibao mascot in her office is "looking forward to reports"
on the progress of the USA Pavilion scored nearly 2,000
references in Chinese media coverage of the groundbreaking
ceremony.
--------------
Media Saturation
--------------
9. (U) Chinese media run multiple Expo stories daily, with
Shanghai print media creating special pages to cover the
seemingly inexhaustible subject. An "Expo Documentary" screened
during prime time on China's most influential news channel
(CCTV-1) in May; a shorter version now plays all over Asia in
malls, on large screen LCDs and through the mobile handset
advertising network. Hundreds of Expo-themed books,
publications, brochures and CDs are available at every Shanghai
bookstore and newspaper booth.
10. (U) SINA and QQ, China's two most influential web portals
SHANGHAI 00000340 003 OF 004
and social networking sites, have established special pages to
promote the Expo. Mobile phone subscribers receive daily Expo
news through their mobile phone service. Shanghai buses also
broadcast information on the Expo every day to more than 12
million bus commuters. Global marketing includes the
appointment of three famous Chinese stars - NBA giant Yao Ming,
actor Jacky Chan and classical pianist Lang Lang - as Expo
Ambassadors.
--------------
SHANGHAI 00000339 003 OF 004
A Campaign for Every Season
--------------
11. (U) Every week brings a new Expo-focused campaign aimed at
spurring citizens and officials to prepare for next year's big
event:
-The "Shanghai World Expo Civilization Plan of Action" seeks to
eliminate bad habits such as queue-jumping, smoking in public
places and jaywalking.
-An "Expo Pioneer Team" action plan calls for the 1.6 million
Shanghai Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members to play a
"leading role for preparing Expo".
- "Everyone should be responsible for Expo, should participate
in Expo and share Expo with each other" seeks to build a
"harmonious society", a current political focus of the Chinese
Communist Party.
- A "Wish Words to Expo via Mobile Phone SMS" campaign has
inspired thousands of mobile phone users to send messages,
including Chinese poems, expressing their best wishes for the
Expo.
-The "Three-Fives Days of Each Month" campaign focuses on
customer service on the fifth of every month, "Environment
Clean-Up Day" on the fifteenth and "Public Order Day" on the
twenty-fifth.
-"Be an Expo Volunteer" attracted more than 270,000 applicants
during the first month that applications were accepted.
- "Welcome EXPO, Study English" aims to make at least 50 percent
of local citizens able to have simple English daily
conversations with Expo guests. More than 100,000 Shanghai taxi
drivers have been encouraged to study English.
--------------
Going Green
--------------
12. (U) In line with the "Better City, Better Life" focus of
the Expo (reftel),the site features environmental installations
SHANGHAI 00000340 004 OF 004
that will save energy and lower pollution, including rainwater
collection, alternative energy facilities, and eco-vehicles.
Beyond the Expo zone, Shanghai has created a traffic plan to
encourage flexible working hours and implement traffic controls;
the city has also announced a move to phase out 90-octane
gasoline to ease air pollution and create a cleaner Expo.
--------------
Comment
--------------
13. (U) The 2010 Shanghai World Expo will be the largest Expo in
history and the first ever hosted by China. The USA Pavilion at
the Expo provides an unprecedented opportunity to showcase
American innovation and green technologies to tens of millions
of visitors. In a recent Chinese public opinion survey,
respondents named the U.S. pavilion as the place they most
SHANGHAI 00000339 004 OF 004
wanted to visit after the Chinese national pavilion. The
much-heralded U.S. confirmation of participation on July 17
bought us a ticket on what China intends to be an unforgettable
ride to the future.
CAMP
B T
#0339
CAMP