As the host of 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa aims to create a more compelling, dynamic brand image of the country. Its Consul General in Shanghai discusses the South African brand and its co-branding with the World Cup at the Expo.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to recognise Nanjing City of China as a "Model for International Cooperation" in order to award the city's active involvement in cooperation with the United States in education, innovation and entrepreneurship, and this was the first Chinese city to win such an award, Li Jiansheng, executive chairman of the US-China Partnership Committee said.

As excitement builds around the FIFA World Cup, marketers globally want to leverage the event to build brands. But the job is especially difficult in China, where the World Cup, and soccer generally, are experienced and understood in a unique way.

"We now see a huge number of possibilities from South-South trade and a lot of our effort is being deployed there," [Trade and Industry Minister Rob] Davies told a news conference. The weakness of the euro and the European economy in general was encouraging this process, he said.

Most people hadn’t even heard of the expo before it came to China. The verdict is clear – The Expo needed China as much as China needed the Expo. It has been described by the Chinese government as “a great gathering of world civilizations”, and is an excellent opportunity to improve ties between two of the oldest – India and China.

Several masterpieces from Musée d’Orsay are on display at the French Pavilion.  Here the Pavilion director discusses how culture is presented to the Chinese public and the Chinese image of France.

After patient and persistent diplomacy and a few perks, Russia and China, Iran's powerful trading partners, finally fell into line. But divisions have emerged elsewhere in the Security Council, signifying concerns about a strategy that appears to stress pressure over engagement with Iran.

[President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] also highlighted that the Philippine participation to the global exhibit provides the country the opportunity to further strengthen political, economic and cultural relations with China, in which the nation celebrates 35 years of diplomatic relations.