Canadian politicians receive 1 millionth visitor at park
- Source: Global Times
- [09:27 June 03 2010]
- Comments
Mark Rowswell (left), Canada's commissioner general of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai tours the Canada Pavilion on Tuesday with Peter Van Loan, Canada's international trade minister. Photo: CFP
Canadian politicians on a trip to China snuck time away from official business Wednesday to welcome the 1 millionth visitor to the Canada Pavilion at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.
Qiao Renbiao was showered with Canadian souvenirs and the chance to take his photo with "the most famous foreigner in China", Canadian Mark Rowswell, who is better known on the Chinese mainland as Dashan (Big Mountain) and is serving as commissioner general of the Canada Pavilion.
The team of politicians included James Moore, heritage minister, Jim Flaherty, finance minister, and Peter Van Loan, international trade minister.
"One million visitors in one month confirms the popularity of the Canada Pavilion as a des-tination of choice," said Moore. "Reaching this milestone quickly is a major achievement."
"It bodes well for the continuing success of our endeavors at this important international exposition," he added.
The Canada Pavilion owes its popularity inside the Expo Park in large to its unique design created by Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian entertainment company that has reached considerable international fame.
Inside the pavilion on the Pudong side of the park, politicians were kept busy Wednesday with a packed schedule in between meeting and greeting visitors. The group signed a series of contracts with Chinese companies and organizations as they worked to strengthen relations with the world's fastest-growing economy.
Of the eight deals worked out Wednesday, two agreements were made with Shanghai's Jiaotong University to collaborate on research for China's high speed rail system, a network that has in part adopted advanced technologies from Canada since 2004.
Global Times
