During the ongoing CPPCC session in Beijing, the country's advisors are engaged in a heated debate about the World Expo in Shanghai next year.

CPPCC member Wang Jifei announced on Sunday that 185 sovereign states and 46 international organizations have so far confirmed their participation in the Shanghai World Expo. That is a record in the 158-year history of the event. So far, thirteen major companies have signed up as global partners of Shanghai Expo. And the construction of the permanent Expo buildings is on schedule. A total of 18 billion yuan will go into the infrastructure construction and 10.6 billion yuan will be spent for operational costs.

CPPCC member Wan Jifei said, "The financial crisis will not hinder the successful staging of the Shanghai World Expo. To date not a single participant has asked to withdraw from the event."

Zhou Hanmin, the deputy director of the Shanghai World Expo Executive Committee, says 62 million tickets will be sold for the event.