Fund-raising for US Pavilion goes smoothly

SHANGHAI - Organizers of the U.S. Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo said here Monday that fund-raising for the pavilion was going smoothly despite a one-third gap.

Ken Jarrett, chairman of the U.S. National Pavilion Board of Directors, made the remarks at a ceremony marking the U.S.-based Dow Chemical Company joining the pavilion's sponsor list.

The expo organizer has reserved a 6,000-square-meter land for the U.S. Pavilion, whose construction would cost 61 million U.S. dollars.

Two thirds of the funding goal has been fulfilled so far, according to Jarrett.

He said Dow's sponsorship reflects its long-term presence in China and commitment to this important market as well as efforts in promoting positive relations of the two countries.

Sponsors for the U.S. pavillion now includes 3M, Dell, GE, Yum!, Pepsi and Dow, as well as the USA-China Education, Science and Culture Association.

Dow has invested 900 million U.S. dollars in the Chinese mainland so far, and China has become the second largest market for the company.

U.S. laws prohibit the government from allocating money directly for the activity. The global economic crisis had made fund-raising for the U.S. pavilion difficult.