Yang Jian and Tom Qian/Shanghai Daily news

Despite being trapped in an economic deep-freeze, Iceland has signed up to participate in the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, while the United States is preparing for its participation regardless of the economic climate, a top official of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination said yesterday.

Iceland signed its participation contract with the organizer by mail. The Icelandic government said it hoped the Expo would be a turning point for the country's economy, said Hong Hao, director general of the bureau.