The Shanghai World Expo Executive Committee said here Sunday it was considering pavilions for Chinese private enterprises and small and medium-sized companies (SMEs).

"I will do what I can to make this happen," said Zhou Hanmin, vice director of the committee and a standing committee member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a political advisory body.

Zhou made the remarks on the sidelines of the annual CPPCC session, in response to a suggestion by a political advisor that such pavilions would be a very good platform to showcase China's private enterprises and entrepreneurs.

"The problem is that we are on a tight schedule." Zhou said all the Expo pavilions would start construction by May 1.

Altogether 185 countries and 46 international organizations have so far confirmed to participate in the Expo, Zhou said.

The World Expo 2010, with the theme of "Better City, Better Life", is due to be held from May 1 to Oct. 31 next year and expected to attract 70 million visitors.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2009)