Almost 10,000 journalists from across the world have applied to cover the upcoming World Expo in Shanghai, according to the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

The figure includes about 2,000 journalists from overseas media outlets, such as the Associated Press, Agence France Presse, CNN, European Photopress Agency, the Times, Das ERSTE, NHK, the Asahi Shimbun, TVB Hong Kong and ETTV Taiwan, said the Bureau.

The Shanghai World Expo News Center and the International Broadcast Center will be open to journalists in April.

The Shanghai World Expo will run from May 1 to Oct. 31 this year, and is expected to attract 70 million visitors from across the globe.

To date, at least 192 countries and 50 international organizations have confirmed their participation in the event, setting a record in the number of participants in the history of the World Expo.

(Xinhua February 25, 2010)