Zhu Yonglei, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, visited heads of London Development Agency on his Expo promotion tour in London on January 28.

He discussed the boost of cases of Urban Best Practice Area with the heads of the agency during his visit.

He introduced the recent progress of the Urban Best Practice Area and said that the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination would serve London well in its participation of the Expo Shanghai.

The representative from the agency said despite the effects like the economic crisis, London will keep its promises and decisions in joining the Urban Best Practice Area project. The agency is actively boosting its work of the project, he said.

Artistic rendition of the case "Protection and Utilization of Historical Heritages in Liverpool".

On January 30, the Expo promotion delegation visited the city of Liverpool on the tour and held joint briefing to promote the Expo Shanghai.

Dozens of people representing the city's business sector attended the briefing in the city hall. They showed their interest in the Expo Shanghai while being specific on details of the Expo Shanghai and Liverpool's part.

Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Rotheram and the leader of the City Council Warren Bradley greeted the delegation. Wang Shutong, Deputy Consul General of People's Republic of China in Manchester, went to the city and joined the meeting.

Councilor Bradley showed his firmness once more in the city's joining Expo Shanghai.

He said the city regards the Expo 2010 not only as an opportunity to showcase itself to the world but also a start point to go for the city's reemergence out of the economic crisis. The current focus of the city is to win more support from the entrepreneurs and common residents, according to Bradley.

On the same day, the delegation also visited the University of Liverpool and joined the event of choosing a plan for Liverpool's Pavilion in Urban Best Practice Area.

To decide a plan for the pavilion in Urban Best Practice Area, the city launched the competition in the architect department in the University of Liverpool and 48 plans have been selected till January 30.

Liverpool's "Protection and Utilization of Historical Heritages in Liverpool" has been selected in Urban Best Practice Area plans. On November 14, 2008, Liverpool signed the UBPA contract with the organizer and confirmed participation in Expo Shanghai Online.