BEIJING, Oct. 17 -- Shanghai is planning to build a ship, to be called "The World Expo", which will travel the oceans of the world stopping in ports to display Chinese cultural artifacts to promote World Expo 2010, an official of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination told a summit forum of the Shanghai International Art Festival yesterday.

The Shanghai Morning Post reported that the program of Chinese cultural events to be shown during World Expo 2010 has been mostly decided and added that the events would offer the world a spectacular cultural feast over the 184 days of the Expo.

As well as spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, the city is planning to shoot a movie as well as to create a video game, aiming at the youth market, set against the backdrop of the Expo Site and produce a high-tech stage show adapted from folk stories.

Hu Jingjun, special assistant of director of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, said: "Cultural events will become the core of World Expo as they one of the principal elements that decide whether the Expo has been 'successful, splendid and unforgettable'."

More than 400,000 square meters in the Expo Site would be used as venues for putting on cultural events, including performances, interactive involvement with audiences, folk culture, electronic games, food and cuisine.

Other venues for cultural events in urban areas are under construction, including a large-scale entertainment and performance center along the Huangpu River.

Another special Expo cultural center will be in three 50-meter-deep and 160 to 200-meter-long boatyards that were part of the Jiangnan Shipbuilding Factory before it relocated.

World Expo 2010 Shanghai will be held over 184 days from May 1 to October 3, 2010. Some 70 million to 90 million visitors, of whom 10 percent will be foreigners, are expected to come.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)