President Hu calls for sound preparations for 2010 Expo

BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao called for sound preparations in the run-up to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and hoped the success of the event would have positive influence on the global economy.

Hu Jintao (C), general secretary of the Central Committee of the  Communist Party of China, Chinese president and chairman of the  Central Military Commission, visits an exhibition of the Shanghai  2010 World Expo in Beijing, capital of China, July 15, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

"The Shanghai World Expo is the second world pageant in the country after the Beijing Olympics. Hosting the event successfully is very important to promoting our exchanges and cooperation with other countries and regions across the world," said Hu Wednesday at an exhibition in Beijing on the Expo.

The event would also have a positive effect in revitalizing the global economy, he said.