World Expo 2015 host Milan has modest attendance expectations compared to Expo Shanghai, a top official said yesterday.

Milan, Italy, has set a target of 20 million visitors compared to Shanghai's forecast of 70 million.

However, Giuseppe Sala, CEO of Expo 2015, said Milan organizers plan to attract 30 percent of the total visitors from abroad, almost doubling that of the Shanghai event.

"We cannot achieve the 70 million target made by the Shanghai organizer, but we hope our Expo will help more foreigners learn about our city Milan and our country," Sala said at the Italy Pavilion in Shanghai.

About 3.5 million foreign visitors are expected to visit Expo Shanghai, accounting for 5 percent of the fair's total attendance.

Sala and Diana Bracco, president of Expo 2015, visited Expo 2010 yesterday. They will talk with Hong Hao, director general of the Shanghai Expo bureau, today to gather suggestions on the master plan for the 2015 event.

The Milan organizers want to learn how to manage such a large-scale event and help each participant country highlight certain features, Bracco said.

With the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life," Expo 2015 will mainly present measures to ensure food quality and security as well as high-quality nutrition.

As the biggest highlight, each country at the Milan Expo will have an equal plot of farmland to plant fruits or vegetables. A greenhouse will ensure that plants from various continents grow well, Bracco said.

The organizers have submitted the plan to the International Exposition Bureau for approval.

China has confirmed its participation in World Expo Milan - the first country to do so.

A handover celebration between Shanghai and Milan will be held on October 18 at Expo Shanghai.

The Expo Milan site will cover 1.7 square kilometers compared to Shanghai's 5.28 square kilometers.