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The Chinese government and people are confident that they will host the World Exposition in 2010 successfully, as China's national strength will have been promoted to a new stage by that time.

Yu Xiaosong, president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), made the remark in an interview with Xinhua Tuesday.

Yu said that with 20 percent of the world's population, China has made remarkable progress in developing the tourism industry in recent years. It is estimated that China will have 70 million overseas tourist arrivals by 2010, while the figure for domestic tourists will reach two billion. Thus, if the 2010 World Exposition is held in China, it will attract a record number of visitors.

Yu also pointed out that China will be the first developing country to host a registered World Exposition if it wins the bid.

Up to now, all sessions of the registered World Exposition have been hosted by developed countries, while developing countries have only hosted recognized Expos. In fact, some developing countries, despite acquiring the right to host the Expos, had to give up eventually because of financial difficulties, Yu noted.

Yu said that China's 2010 World Exposition bid demonstrates that China's national strength has already reached a certain level.

He said that the Chinese government hopes to host a registered World Exposition to strengthen its relations with all other countries in the world in the social and economic fields, and to help Chinese companies learn more about the economic situations of the participating countries and promote China's economic exchanges and cooperation with the rest of the world.

He noted that China will improve its economic structure, develop its western region, and revitalize its education and science over the next 10 years. In this connection, Shanghai's bid for the 2010 World Exposition will boost China's markets for investment and consumption, offering great new opportunities for foreign trade and technical exchanges.

Recalling that China began to participate in World Exposition events in 1982, Yu said that the process demonstrates that China has successfully pursued its reform and opening-up policy, and that its standing in the international community has been increasing continuously.

China participated in 10 sessions of the World Exposition up until 2001, and the BIE accepted China as a member in May 1993. China hosted the 1999 International Horticultural Exposition in Kunming, a registered exposition lasting six months. Ninety-five countries and international organizations attended that exposition.

Yu said that the successful hosting of the 1999 International Horticultural Exposition showed the country's capability for organizing a big international exposition, and laid a foundation for the 2010 World Exposition bid.