Shanghai mayor Han Zheng said yesterday that the city will ensure its economy maintains stable and high-speed growth and improve people's lives by accelerating urbanization and the development of major industries, including finance, telecommunications and logistics.

The city government will speed up its promotion of science and technology innovation and will provide high-tech enterprises with more preferential policies and fund allocation, Han said.

Shanghai will improve energy-saving and emission-cutting systems to lift the ecology and environment.

As the city prepared to host World Expo 2010, the government had decided to fast-track urban construction and improve public facilities.

The China Pavilion will have its roof sealed by the end of the year, while the building of other major pavilions will be completed next year.

Shanghai will improve its management of the environment, food security, product quality, entry and exit quarantine rules, and public transport for the event, which has had a record number of participants.

(Shanghai Daily November 14, 2008)