Fireworks illuminated the Shanghai skyline in a blaze of colour as China kicked off the six-month World Expo late yesterday with a lavish star-studded opening gala attended by a host of world leaders.
Still basking in the glow of its successful staging of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China is treating the Expo as an equally important showcase for its growing political and economic clout. From the US to North Korea, a total of 189 countries will take part in the six-month display of ideas, culture and technology expected to attract at least 70 million visitors - the vast majority of them Chinese.
"Expo 2010 Shanghai is now open!" Chinese President Hu Jintao declared, after the national anthem rang out in the Expo cultural centre and the flags of all participating countries were paraded through the giant shell-shaped hall.
A rainbow of fireworks, searchlights and lasers bathed a 3.5-kilometre stretch of Shanghai's riverfront in colourful light.
Six-thousand glowing LED balls showing images of shimmering fish were released in the water moments before small boats flying the flags of countries participating in Expo paraded downriver.
The gala - planned by the team behind the opening and closing ceremonies for the Vancouver Winter Olympics - was a departure from more low-key World Expos in the past, with an all-star line-up.
Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan serenaded thousands of guests to open the event. Italian pop tenor superstar Andrea Bocelli belted out the aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini's opera Turandot.
In a sombre moment, two children orphaned by a massive earthquake that killed over 2,200 people two weeks ago in northwest China appeared onstage in traditional Tibetan dress.
Chinese pianist Lang Lang and the Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa also performed before leaders including Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Lee Myung-Bak of South Korea were ushered out to the banks of the Huangpu river.
For the finale, fountains, fireworks and lasers all fired simultaneously to excerpts from Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ode to Joy".
As Expo's gates open to visitors today, countries and companies will vie to outdo each other in presenting the best they have to offer the world - with a particular eye on China's market of 1.3 billion people.
Denmark has made a splash by bringing its "Little Mermaid" statue out of Copenhagen for the first time, France has impressionist paintings and Rodin sculptures, while Italy is showing works by Renaissance master Caravaggio.
India is bringing a cast of Bollywood stars and Canada's pavilion will bear the imaginative touches of contemporary circus troupe Cirque du Soleil.
Past Expos are remembered for leaving architectural landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Space Needle in Seattle, and introducing the television and electric lighting to a mass audience.
In Shanghai, the spotlight will be on the cutting-edge design of the national pavilions at the 5.3-square-kilometre site.
Highlights include China's red inverted pyramid, Britain's dandelion-like Seed Cathedral, Spain's Big Basket made of 8,500 wicker panels and Switzerland's three-story-high "meadow" - complete with chair lift.