Han Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, confirmed here Sunday he would lead a delegation to visit Taiwan in April to promote the upcoming World Expo.

The confirmation by Han himself came on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's supreme legislature.

"I have been expecting for long to visit the Treasure Island of Taiwan," Han said. "Though the exact date has yet to be decided, I hope to make it early April."

The mayor said he would take his Taiwan visit as a chance not only to promote the World Expo, which is slated to open on May 1, but to further boost Shanghai's economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan.

Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin led a delegation to visit Shanghai in June 2008, drawing attention from the media for the improvement of cross-Strait relations between Taiwan and the mainland.

(Xinhua March 8, 2010)