While Shanghai has publicly declared ‘ we have gone green’ during the World Expo with excessively pouring plants on the city’s crowded pavements and walls of surrounding building sites, it was simply hiding the large scale demolition, construction and renovation undergone years since the bid in 2002. And look at the plants closely, they are all plastic.
Since the Beijing olympic game 2008 we have got an idea of how an international event in China is to be held. There is no consideration of the expenses – the impact to the public is far more important. In the build up of the event Shanghai has a whole-city facelift – every city got a fresh coat of paint, residents living in the planned exhibition area being relocated elsewhere, eight new subway lines lain in recent years, airports getting revamped. The ultimate aim is to accomodate the needs of that 6 months.
For the show up to the world, to those China’s officials, the $40bn expenses was a worth-spending, but it still never get the image of the city better with a complete culture suppression for the citizens. No hanging clothes outdoor, no pyjamas wearing outdoor or vendors got banned during the exhibition period are some examples of how Shanghai present its metropolitan culture to the rest of the world, beside those pavilion.
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