Shanghai Daily news

Hungarian innovation will be to the fore in Shanghai for World Expo 2010, the country's visiting Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany said yesterday.

One Hungarian creation that is sure to be an Expo center of attention is hard to describe, but let's say that, thanks to cutting-edge physics, it's a stand-up invention ... quite literally.

Hungary is claiming the invention to be the world's first evenly weighted ever-standing object. It resembles a tumbler and always returns to the standing position after falling, but the bottom weighs the same as the top.

Gyurcsany was speaking at a news conference while leading a 143-member delegation to inaugurate the Shanghai part of the "Hungarian Season in China" which runs until next April.

Following the conference, he unveiled a gift bust of Hungarian poet Petofi Sandor (1823-1849) in the Lu Xun Park of Hongkou District.

In China, one of Sandor's poems, "Liberty, Love!" became enormously popular early last century.

Since his poems were translated for the first time by Lu Xun (1881-1936), a Chinese literary giant, Lu Xun Park was selected for the bust as it contains Lu's tomb and memorial hall.

But Gyurcsany seemed more content to wax lyrical about the Expo and modern creativity. "We will show the innovative spirit of a European country with Asian origins at the Expo," he said.

In May, two Hungarian researchers found that one object could have more than two points of balance - and came up with the extraordinary tumbler.

Their discovery was published in the respected journal Mathematical Messenger.

Experts say the discovery may have tremendous economic value not just for the toy industry but also in the industrial field.

In a meeting with City Mayor Han Zheng, the prime minister expressed hopes of helping Shanghai with its environmental protection for the World Expo, such as by using its advanced sewage-treatment technology.

Both attended a signing ceremony marking Hungary's participation in the Expo.

Before Shanghai, Gyurcsany visited Beijing where it was agreed to jointly build a China Brand Trade Center in Budapest in 2009.

Also yesterday, Gyurcsany's wife, Klara Dobrev, visited Fudan University's Children's Hospital, presenting US$100,000 worth of cardiovascular equipment donated by a Hungarian medical company.

She then distributed Hungarian children's books for the young patients.