- Title: CHINA: Migrant workers set to miss out on Shanghai World Expo
- Date: 28th April 2010
- Summary: LATVIA PAVILION UNDER CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WORKING ON FACADE OF LATVIA PAVILION WORKERS WORKING SITE OF LATVIA PAVILION WORKERS WORKING ON WALL OF LATVIA PAVILION
- Embargoed: 13th May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Domestic Politics,Science / Technology
- Reuters ID: LVADBC0G1EWX4MRP86M12RFSXNMX
- Story Text: Tens of thousands of migrant workers who helped build the glitzy Shanghai World Expo site are set to miss out on the gala event as the costs of travel and tickets deter them from visiting.
With less than four days to go to its opening day on May 1, many of these migrant workers have already been shipped back to their villages by their employers after the national pavilions, roads and landscaping they built were completed.
Workers said more than 75 percent of the original workforce has gone back to their rural hometowns in provinces scattered across China ahead of the Expo's opening.
An army of migrant workers were employed by different construction companies to work at the Shanghai World Expo site, with many staying in the city for many months and even years for the massive project.
Their employers had housed them in hostels at the site throughout the duration of the construction, with the workers living a regimented lifestyle revolving around their different projects.
Many said they were made to work overtime because construction was sped up during the past months as the deadline drew near for the opening day.
Now, with most of the work done, many migrants are packing their bags to go home, and have no chance to visit the Expo.
However, some like 28-year-old Pei Gang (pron: pay-gang), a migrant worker from Chongqing in the southwest, was still beaming with pride with his nation's hosting of the World Expo.
"I am very pleased to see the results of my labour. After all, this Expo is being held at my country's doorstep, so I am very happy," he said.
As the days are counted down to the start, there is growing excitement amongst organisers and residents alike in the Chinese financial capital as it prepares to host its first global event for this century.
Banners flutter throughout the city with slogans showing off the uniqueness of the Shanghai World Expo, while television news and programmes have taken on a distinctly Expo theme.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors have thronged the site during its week-long trial period in a sign of the crowds to come once the gala event starts.
But for many of these migrant workers who earn roughly 2,000 yuan (293 U.S dollars) a month, the entrance ticket of an average of 160 yuan (23 U.S. dollars) per person and related travel expenses are too much to pay for a visit.
"I can't bring my family here since the Expo is held in Shanghai. Yes, it's too expensive. We don't have enough money to buy the tickets," said 55-year-old migrant worker Wang Xuehui (pron: wang shuei-hwee).
Chinas migrant workers represent a mass of a floating population of people from the countryside, often poor and less educated, who make the trek to the country's bigger cities in search of better employment and wages.
Even for those who want to spare the expense and visit, tickets have been hard to come by as organisers said the peak day tickets from May 1 to 3 have already been sold out.
"Even if I wanted to bring my family here to visit the Expo, there are no tickets left. It's also just too far for us," said 52-year-old Zhang Handong (pron: djang han-dong) Many migrant workers are readying to go home in the next few days as their construction companies are withdrawing from the Expo site for it to be open to the public.
Some will stay for a couple of more months, as some national pavilions are still far from completion and are looking to open beyond the start date of May 1.
For those who are leaving, such as 54-year-old Zhang Wanlin (pron: djang wan-ling), this would be an emotional farewell to a workplace he has resided in for the past two years.
"I feel a little bit of not wanting to leave. I have a good impression of this place. I like a lot of aspects of this city. I think I will miss this place very much. The Expo site is so beautiful," he said.
Of 192 countries attending, most are investing record amounts to build their national pavilions to impress visitors, with governments taking the lead in providing the bulk of investment and heads of state promising to make an appearance at Chinas gala party for 2010.
While previous expos in Zaragoza and Hanover went largely unnoticed on the global agenda, Shanghai has excited its people and made a glam party out of its version of the World Expo, as it looks to impress an expected 70 million visitors.
China is the first developing nation to host the World Expo and officials hope the event, held from May 1 to Oct 31, will improve Shanghai's position as a global city. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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