Shanghai Expo 2010

Poland's Secretary of State Slawomir Nowak said in Shanghai yesterday that his country is cutting the budget for its 2010 Expo pavilion by more than 70 percent.

Poland had allocated 222.1 million yuan (US$32.4 million) for its pavilion. It will now spend 65 million yuan.

Nowak blamed the global financial crisis for the cut, but emphasized Poland's commitment to the Expo, saying the country's pavilion would be a "window to Poland."

A Polish delegation headed by Nowak yesterday also paid a visit to the monument to Polish composer Frederic Chopin in the city's Zhongshan Park. It presented local cultural official Hu Yishan the Gloria Artists medal recognizing his work promoting Polish culture in China.