As the host of the 2010 World Expo, Shanghai is sparing no expense. Civic investment and projects are expected to eclipse those of Beijing when it hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The event will take place in May 2010, and is intended to highlight the city as a global center.
"For some, hosting a somewhat anachronistic event like the Expo may seem a modest consolation prize compared with the glitter of the Olympics, but that does not mean that Shanghai is approaching things with anything less than the utmost seriousness. Official Shanghai, that is. Unwilling to be outdone by China's old capital, this city is reportedly outspending Beijing's vast Olympic preparations by a large margin.
For months now, that has meant extraordinary things for the neighborhoods of this city. Extensive new subway lines are being rushed into service. The finishing touches are being placed on flying cloverleaf expressways. And as buildings rise like plants in some Miracle-Gro commercial, construction cranes can be seen wheeling in every direction."
FULL STORY: Shanghai Is Sprucing Up Its Image
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