Mao Guanglie, Ningbo mayor and deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), is counting on the 2010 World Expo to be the city's new engine for economic growth in the post-crisis era. In an interview with China.org.cn on March 6, the mayor said the economically outward-oriented city was impacted greatly by the 2008 global financial crisis.

During the first quarter of 2009, Ningbo's GDP grew by 1 percent, well below the average level of Zhejiang Province (3.4 percent). However, after the mayor's efforts to make the government more service-oriented and develop the city's private economy, Ningbo is starting to recover.

Situated on the other side of the bay near Shanghai, Ningbo is hoping the Expo will act as a catalyst in its recovery, bringing a wave of economic prosperity to the city. The city will be sponsoring the Forum on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Urban Development, which will run simultaneously with the Expo from May 15 to 18. It will discuss how information and communication technologies can aide in urban development.

"We hope that more people will be aware of the functions of information and communication technologies in serving citizens and urban administration. Ningbo will cooperate with numerous world-known operating companies and software developers, thus giving widespread access to information in a short amount of time," Mao said.

In addition to the forum, Ningbo has another Expo-related project it is working on. The city is helping to make nearby Tengtou Village a leading example of how civilization can develop without destroying the surrounding environment. The village has already won two world-level honors, being listed on the Global 500 Honor Roll for Environmental Achievement in 1993 and named as one of the world's Top 10 Harmonious Villages in 2003.

"Tengtou village sets an example in how to realize harmonious development between urban and rural areas during China's new urbanization process," Mao proudly explained. He also promised Ningbo's utmost efforts in providing two great Expo-related events.