The Singapore pavilion will be a two-story 3,000-square-meter structure with an "Urban Symphony" theme, a senior official of the country's tourism authority told local media today and launched a promotion week of the country's Expo showcase.

The pavilion design looks like a huge "music box." Its aluminum fa?ade will feature replicas of Singapore's famous buildings, according to Alfred Poon Keng Hoi, assistant director of the Singapore Tourism Board.

In the pavilion Singaporeans will share the experiences on urban planning that have turned the densely populated country into a famous "garden city," said Poon.

Water and gardens will be the two main elements inside the pavilion. Some fountains will be built around the pavilion and there will be a roof garden with precious tropical plants transported from Singapore, said Tan Kay Ngee, chief designer of the pavilion.

"Plants will be a highlight of the pavilion," he said.

Poon declined to reveal the budget of the pavilion and said the financial crisis had not had any impact.

The country's iconic Merlion statue may come to Shanghai to charm visitors for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

The Merlion is an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It was the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board from 1964 to 1997 and later became one of the most popular tourists' spots in the country. More than one million tourists go to see the statue every year.

It has just been repaired after lightning damaged its head on February 28.