The Shanghai World Expo has had a major impact as the event's debut in the developing world, helps to drive economic and cultural innovation, provide a bridge with developed countries, and back global economic recovery.

It is the first World Expo to be held in a developing country in the event's 159-year history and by far the biggest event of its type to take place outside Europe and North America.

Shanghai showed the Expo was no longer an exclusive patent for developed countries. Vast developing countries have the same right to show themselves on the world stage and share their civilizations with developed states.

The Shanghai Expo, which attracted the biggest participation by developing countries in Expo history, has provided a chance for more developing countries to show themselves on the world stage.

It was the first time for the DPRK, Afghanistan, some African countries and the African Union (AU) to take part in a World Expo.

The African Joint Pavilion, consisting of 42 African countries and the AU, was the largest African pavilion so far and attracted the most participanting countries and international organizations in Expo history.

As Zhou Hanmin, deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee, said, the Shanghai World Expo was a stage for all the world.

The Expo has also provided unprecedented chances for developing countries to gain exposure to the culture and latest technology from around the world.

From Hamburg's passive house in Germany to a zero-emission community in Sweden's Malmo, from the "Beddington zero fossil energy development" program in Britain to Madrid's "New Horizons within Public Housing" in Spain, visitors from the developing world could see the results of top science and technology at close range.

Carrying the theme of "Better City, Better Life," the Expo in China corresponded with the demand of the developing world for modernization and urbanization.

The process of study is also a process of communication. During the process of study itself, communication between developing and developed countries was improved further.

Furthermore, "Chinese elements" emerged on an unprecedented scale during Shanghai Expo.

In a world still overshadowed by the financial crisis, the Expo had its special meaning. It has contributed not only to a boost of the economy of China and its neighbouring regions, but also that of the developing world.

During the Expo, China has provided assistance capital worth 100 million U.S. dollars for developing countries. Many countries, especially developing countries, wanted to use the Expo's stage to reinforce economic cooperation with China. Under the symbolic "kite forest" of the Mexican pavilion, a business centre was built.

"Chinese elements" have also brought impetus to the development of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE).

In the seven years since China's successful bid for Expo, the organization's membership has surged to 156 nations from the original 89, with most of the new members from the developing world. Developing countries including Morocco, Mexico and Brazil decided to bid for the Expo after China.

"Everything starts with World Expo" is people's sincere praise to World Expo. Indeed, World Expo is an exhibition of human civilization. World Expo's history is a history of significant breakthroughs and development of the global economy, culture and technology in modern times.

Following in the footsteps of Shanghai Expo in China, developing countries can show themselves more confidently and share human progress more sufficently on the road of sustainability, in a bid to achieve progress with developed countries together.