More than 150 guests on Thursday toasted China Daily's media partnership with World Expo Shanghai at a cocktail party at The Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai.

"The 2010 Shanghai World Expo is one of China's historic events and China Daily provides its participants a platform under Expo's flag," Ren Kan, China Daily's assistant to the editor-in-chief, told guests at the event, who included World Expo Shanghai officials, delegates from consulate generals, Expo partners, sponsors and suppliers.

Ren said the newspaper had been using all of its resources to support the promotion and publicity of World Expo. Guests were briefed about China Daily's coverage plans for the 2010 event.

China Daily, the country's longest-running English language national newspaper, inked a deal with World Expo organizers in September to make the paper an official media partner.

The cocktail party was sponsored by COFCO Wines & Spirits Co, an integrated operator of liquor brands and the exclusive wine supplier of the 2008 Olympic Games. Its parent COFCO, a leading grain, oils and foodstuffs import and export group in China and one of the country's largest food manufacturers, is a senior sponsor of the Shanghai World Expo.

Table wines and party gifts were provided by COFCO Wines & Spirits Co.

Wang Zhenghua

(China Daily 12/19/2009 page14)