It's the first time the EU has been represented at a world fair outside Europe: for 6 months (starting 1 May), the bloc will have its own pavilion in Shanghai - at the specific invitation of China, its second biggest trade partner.

Mr. Kim habitually travels by train and his visits are generally not confirmed until he has returned to North Korea. He is not believed to have been abroad since a 2006 visit to China. China is North Korea's main trading partner and the country perceived to have the most influence on the communist state.

North Korea, Sudan, Iran, Myanmar, Zimbabwe are not normally countries associated with booming economies or viewed favorably by many, especially in the West, on the world stage. But they all have close ties with China, and have made every effort to put on a good show...

Visitors flocked to the Israeli stand in the Expo 2010 Shanghai China exhibition that opened on Saturday.

The World's Fair that kicked off Friday night is designed to focus global attention on Shanghai—but in doing so, it will largely reflect the outsize role foreigners have played in shaping China's most cosmopolitan city.

The 2010 Shanghai World Expo opened on Friday night, attracting the attention of the world and international participation and earning heartfelt congratulations. Some 20 world leaders attended the opening ceremony and toured the Expo, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.

It is true that China’s hosting of the event, especially on the heels of the spectacular Summer Olympics two years ago, sends an unmistakable signal of the country’s return to global prominence. Nonetheless, the Expo is also a grand stage where, over the next six months, nearly 200 participant countries will be courting and engaging the Chinese public.

To characterize the Shanghai Expo as mainly China’s showcasing of its soft power misses an important point.