China's preparations for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo began in earnest on Saturday as construction of the World Expo park formally started in downtown Shanghai.

The 5.28-square-kilometer park will be located on the banks of the Huangpu River. Some 18,000 households and 272 companies in the area will be relocated to give way to the project.

Construction of most facilities will start early next year and will be completed before the end of 2009, said Vice Mayor Yang Xiong.

The city will also build or renovate roads with a total length of 35.55 kilometers in the next two years to ease traffic congestion during the event that is 1,351 days away.

The six-month Shanghai World Expo will open on May 1, 2010 and end on October 31.

Sixty-two countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation, according to the latest announcement of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination.

China aims to draw at least 200 countries and international organizations to the event, outnumbering the 155 reported figure at the 2000 World Expo in Hanover, Germany.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2006)