Xinhua/Shanghai Daily

Vice Premier Wu Yi has urged organizers of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo to increase the pace of their preparations.

So far, 109 countries and international organizations have confirmed their attendance at the event, Wu told a work meeting of the organizing committee in Beijing yesterday.

"This year is crucial for the preparations, and the work will be arduous," she said. "It needs more attention and support from local governments and central departments.

"Efforts should be made to attract more countries and organizations to attend the Expo and improve publicity and management plans."

China is hoping to host 200 countries and international organizations at the Expo, making it the biggest ever.

The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, the United Nations, the World Bank and the African Union are among the exhibitors that have signed up so far.

The Chinese government has taken a series of measures to attract exhibitors to the World Expo, promising to provide each developing country with at least one exhibition hall free of charge.

The event will last for 184 days, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It will be the first time a World Expo to be held in a developing country.

Shanghai's World Expo Bureau has outlined a series of key events to be accomplished this year.

Among them, the bureau will select the theme for the Chinese pavilion in the first half of the year and begin construction in the second half.

In addition, the bureau's goal is to attract 170 countries and international organizations by the close of 2007.

Urban relocations and site preparations should be finished by year's end, and construction of the main pavilions should start, along with an acceleration of the pace of infrastructure construction and support facilities.

Marketing efforts will increase, and additional Expo partners and senior sponsors will be selected. Licensed Expo products, including coins and stamps, will begin to be sold in the first half of the year.

Also this year, the Expo mascots will be selected, and the first draft plan for the opening and closing ceremonies is scheduled to be finished.