On May 1, the Starting Ceremony of the Count-down Clock for the Shanghai 2010 Expo was solemnly held in Tiananmen Square, also in celebration of the one-year count-down to the Expo’s opening. Wu Bangguo, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended the event and started the count-down clock.

Wang Qishan, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council and Chairperson of the National Organizing Committee of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition, Yu Zhengsheng, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Vice Chairman of the National Organizing Committee of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition and other officials of the National Organizing Committee, Executive Committee of the Expo as well as officials of the Beijing Municipal Government in charge of expo affairs also attended the ceremony , hosted by Han Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai and Deputy Director of the National Organizing Committee of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition.

Wan Jifei, Chairman of the CCPIT, Deputy Director of the National Organizing Committee of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition and Executive Director of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition Executive Committee, and Wang Jinzhen, Vice Chairman of the CCPIT, Member of the National Organizing Committee of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition and Executive Deputy Director of the Liaison Group of the Shanghai 2010 World Exposition Executive Committee accompanied Wu’s attending. Approximately one hundred CCPIT staff attended the starting ceremony.

Wu Bangguo delivered a keynote speech, pointing out by this time of next year, the Shanghai 2010 World Expo will have been opened successfully; the starting ceremony held today is to again showcase the enthusiasm of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in supporting the Expo; that the world expo have been held over a period of over 150 years, the history indicating it plays an important and unique role in the exchange and development of economy, technology and culture across the world, in the discussion and resolution of those common issues for development faced by the human society and in the promotion of world civilization as well as national culture, etc.

Holding the world expo is one of the biggest expectations of the Chinese people. China aims to present an Expo that demonstrates the progress of human civilization, thus promoting world peace and prosperity, enhancing friendship between the Chinese people and people all over the world, expanding exchange and cooperation and spurring the Chinese people to strive for a better society, Wu noted.
Wu said the Chinese Government and people have made a commitment to host a "successful, splendid and unforgettable" event. He promised that the organizer would make every effort for the event and strengthen cooperation with all participants.

The Shanghai World Expo is another big international event following China’s successful hosting of the Beijing Olympics, with over 230 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation. Work on site construction, exhibition planning and operation preparation is carried out in an orderly way as scheduled. To meet the requirement of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Government, Shanghai is now overcoming difficulties and conducting the preparation with a high standard. Shanghai will go on maintaining the principles of scientific, thrift, safe, corrupt-free to hold an excellent expo as a significant opportunity for promoting the scientific development and harmony of the society, noted Yu Zhengsheng.

The Expo’s count-down clock stands at the west gate of the China National Museum in the middle of Tiananmen Square, the same position where that of the Beijing Olympics was, with a height of 14.4 meters, a width of 5.5 meters and a total weight of 24 tons. But unlike the clock for the Beijing Olympics, after the Expo opens on May 1, 2010, the clock will show the number of visitors to the Expo as well as the counting of time.