Jayaratne hailed the Shanghai Expo as a great success and a unique and historic event that would be remembered by the participants as well as visitors for many years to come.

Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce said multi-faceted engagement between countries consolidated achievements already shared, deepened understandings of one another and broadened and diversified future prospects. The Shanghai World Expo played an important part in facilitating this further engagement, and she believed that people would see its benefits over the coming years.

Bryce said Shanghai was an impressive world city with a unique and demonstrable vision, style and sense of itself. Equally, Shanghai is a global participant, a meeting place of nations, and a leader in many aspects of 21st century innovation.

"I believe that the Shanghai World Expo superbly illuminated the city's defining qualities while enabling each of the exhibiting nations to convey a clear message of their own place in the world and their relationship with Shanghai and China," she said.

Jose Freches, Commissioner General of the France Pavilion, compared the significance of Shanghai Expo to China as that of the 1900 Paris World Expo to France.

Freches described the Shanghai Expo as a historic event that reflected changes and transformation in society.

"'Better City, Better life' is an actual theme," he said, adding that "I'm sure Shanghai World Expo has made a great contribution to this idea."

Estonia's Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said that Shanghai Expo had achieved many successes, which brought benefit to not only China but also the whole world.

"I believe, Shanghai Expo will go down in history like other former Expos," Paet said.

The Shanghai Expo is the first time the event has been held in a developing country, drawing 246 countries and international organizations, as well as more than 70 million visitors. London hosted the first Expo in the Crystal Palace of Hyde Park in 1851.