All eyes will be on Shanghai on May 1 as the glistening Chinese metropolis plays host to the 2010 World Expo.
Organizers expect more than 70 million visitors to visit the Expo over the course of six months, whose theme is "Better City, Better Life."
The grand plan for the Expo is impressive. More than 190 countries and more than 50 international organizations are currently registered to take part, with 100 world leaders expected.
"I believe the Shanghai World Expo will be successful, spectacular and unforgettable," said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
Over 100 pavilions have been created, ranging from the UK's bizarre hedgehog-like structure to Mexico's sea of kites.
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"Most Chinese don't have a chance to go abroad," Wu Jianmin, a former ambassador to France who promoted China's bid for the 2010 expo, told Time. "But with the Shanghai expo, they have a chance to see how the world has developed."
Taking place in 2 sq. miles of former dockland just south of Shanghai's downtown, China's government has spent up to $58 billion sprucing up the city for its new visitors - improving the subway and adding a new terminal to the airport.
Will the Expo be a success? After a "soft" opening in late April, some visitors expressed disappointment and concern.
"Do we really have the ability to host half a million people?" Gao Yiming asked NPR. "I'm still a bit worried."
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