the promotion of ticket sales

 

Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dng would attend the opening ceremony of World Expo Shanghai 2010, officials said as Expo ticket sales began in Vietnam last  week.

 

Sun Guoxiang, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, said on Friday in Hanoi during the sales-launching ceremony that he had been informed that Nguyen would come to Shanghai to attend the event.

 

“This year marked the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries,” he said. “We believe that the World Expo would enhance the friendship between China and Vietnam.”

 

Chen Xianjin, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, and Le Tien Tho, Vietnam's Vice Minister of Culture, also attended the ceremony in Hanoi.

 

Expo ticket sales first started in Ho Chi Minh City on March 10. Eleven travel agencies were appointed as authorized Expo 2010 ticket agents in Vietnam. More than 20 Expo 2010 tourist groups have already been formed thanks to warm responses from Vietnam people.

 

Also during the ceremony, Le said that the theme of the Vietnam Pavilion would be “1,000 years of Hanoi-Thang Long.” Hanoi, also known as Thang Long in history, is celebrating its 1,000th anniversary in 2010.

 

The façade of the 1,000-square-meter pavilion appears like a river and the bamboo surrounding the pavilion can reduce the heat from the sun.

 

The pavilion will also host some Vietnam-style performances.

 

Chen said that the organizers would offer high-quality services to all the participants and welcome Vietnam people to Shanghai to visit the Expo.

 

Le said that Vietnam treasured this important opportunity to enable the peoples at China and Vietnam to get better exchanges. It would contribute greatly to enhance the friendly relation between the two countries, he said.