guests presenting the signing ceremony

Zhong Yanqun (middle) shake hands with representatives of the partners.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC) and General Motors Corporation (GM) today joined forces to become the first joint partnership for World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The joint partnership of the local giant in automotive industry SAIC and the world's leading automaker GM is also the first transnational cooperation to take place in the marketing project for World Expo 2010.

SAIC and GM China signed the joint partnership agreement with the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination today in a move which signifies that the partnership arrangements for World Expo 2010 have now extended from local companies to multinational corporations.

According to the agreement, SAIC and GM will provide automobile related products and services during the Expo, including car renting and car maintenance.

The two companies had made bids to be the official partnership in the automobile industry and have now succeeded. Officials from the two companies all said they were "very proud of being the first joint official partner."

SAIC and GM vowed to integrate their local and international resources and provide the consumers with the most advanced quality automobile products and services.

They also committed themselves to do research work for a sustainable urban transport system, which would contribute to the development of the theme of World Expo 2010 - Better City, Better Life.

It is not the first time SAIC and GM have joined hands to promote the further development of China's automotive industry. Being joint partners at World Expo 2010 marks another stage in their demonstration of social responsibility.

The marketing project for World Expo 2010 is progressing well. China Eastern Airlines, China Telecom, China Mobile and the Bank of Communications are already partners and more official partners in other industries will be unveiled soon.

The guests at the signing of today's joint partnership agreement included Shanghai Vice Mayor Yang Xiong who is also member of the Organising Committee of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai, executive deputy director of the Executive Committee of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai; Zhong Yanqun, standing deputy director of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai Executive Committee; Hu Maoyuan, the president of SAIC; Nick Reilly, the vice president of GM Group and the president of GM Asia Pacific; Chen Hong, the vice president of SAIC and president of SAIC Motors Corporation Ltd and Kevin Wale, president and managing director of GM China.

>> Gallery