The Shanghai 2010 World Expo is set to be a grand gathering of countries showcasing different lifestyles and cultures. It's also a world-class opportunity for companies to promote technology and innovation.

One year from now, global commercial giants will show their cutting-edge technology at the Shanghai World Expo. One of the expo's main goals is to treat visitors a taste of the future.

As the first company to confirm its participation, General Motors is building a 6,000 square meter spiral-shaped pavilion to simulate the future of transport. Visitors will experience the relationship between cities, people and vehicles in 2030.

Jin Lin, Curator, SAIC-GM enterprise pavilion, said, "We intend to simulate the elements of the year 2030 in our exhibition. It will allow visitors to feel the transport of the future, and imagine their life style at that time."

General Motors' exhibition was the most popular of the 1939 World Expo in New York, attracting 27 million visitors. The exhibition simulated the highway networks of the future. General Motors is now raising the topic for more innovation and reform on future transport, another 20 years from now.

In the past, a great number of important inventions were first demonstrated at the Expo and then used across the world. Among them were electric lights, computers and television sets.

Chinese enterprises are also seizing this opportunity to show their commitment to the future. Among the enterprises that are building dedicated pavilions, Chinese account for 80 percent. China Eastern Airline and AVIC Group are building the first ever aviation pavilion in Expo history, giving visitors a taste of what flying will be like in the future.

Chen Guanjum, director of international affairs, aviation industry corp. of China, said, "We will use sound, light, electricity and 4D screens to demonstrate the great changes that aviation technologies can make to people's lives in the future."

Corporate exhibitions have been an important part of the World Expo since 1933. For next year's Shanghai Expo, 16 pavilions are being built by enterprises to illustrate the future.

(CCTV May 3, 2009)