The Principality of Liechtenstein is one of the last countries to have confirmed its participation in the world exposition in China. The Principality will be represented at the Expo 2010 in Shanghai with its own national pavilion. The motto of the Shanghai Expo is "Better City, Better Life".

The world exposition in Shanghai will take place from 1 May to 31 October 2010. The organizers expect 70 million visitors, which in the Government's assessment gives Liechtenstein the unique opportunity to present itself to a public of that magnitude: "With our participation in the world exposition in Shanghai as one of the most important national platforms of this kind worldwide, we will consistently continue our communication efforts over the past few year to convey a realistic picture of Liechtenstein abroad." Liechtenstein's participation in the world exposition is also due to the outstanding experiences Liechtenstein made with its presentation at Expo 2000 in Hanover. Liechtenstein's participation at the Expo in Shanghai is only its third participation in a world's fair after Hanover in 2000 and Brussels in 1958.

The Liechtenstein concept for the Expo 2010 envisages a national pavilion in China and the establishment of a second pavilion in the center of Vaduz, giving the Liechtenstein population the opportunity to experience a filmed tour of the world's fair in Shanghai. Unlike Hanover in 2000, no National Day in the Liechtenstein pavilion with the participation of the Liechtenstein population will be organized, due to the great distance and high travel costs. Various events are planned around the pavilion in Vaduz, especially of a cultural nature, and the numerous foreigners' associations in Liechtenstein will make a multicultural contribution. The Government sees the Expo pavilion in Vaduz as a "friendly meeting point of peoples".

The leitmotif of Liechtenstein's presentation at the Expo in Shanghai will be "Dialogue and Respect", which is a recurrent theme throughout the concept. Exchange and dialogue with China will be the focus of Liechtenstein's presentation, with special attention also paid to China's relationship with Tibet. Under the current concept, Liechtenstein would like to divide up the Shanghai theme of "Better City, Better Life" into several sub-themes, such as the mixing of different cultures, economic prosperity, innovation in science and technology, and interaction between city and country. The six core messages of the Image Liechtenstein Foundation will play an important role: Liechtenstein will be introduced as a well-functioning, internationally networked, and sovereign small State in Europe that is open to the world. Liechtenstein also wants to present itself as a successful and secure financial center that is actively linked with its highly developed and diversified industrial location. Last but not least, Liechtenstein will be shown as a hospitable vacation country offering itself as an attractive travel destination in Europe for Chinese (and other Expo visitors).

Liechtenstein's motto at the Expo 2000 in Hanover was "Light and Stone", with a similar orientation presenting the country as a small State with a special system of government, a country with a strong and diverse economy and rich cultural offerings. Liechtenstein's environmental project met with a particularly positive response, in which the energy needs of the Liechtenstein pavilion were largely met by renewable energy generated via a solar power plant in Liechtenstein. "The Liechtenstein pavilion attracted international attention mainly thanks to its zero-energy concept," the Government said in its 2000 accountability report, summarizing Liechtenstein's Expo involvement in 2000. Particularly in 2000, when Liechtenstein faced public scrutiny due to many negative headlines in the foreign media, the Government at the time noted "how important it is to present the country to a broad public in a realistic way and without the usual distortions."

The organizers of Expo 58 in Brussels didn't have these problems. At that time, Liechtenstein presented its spiritual and material life to the world – the products of its work and its cultural achievements. The reporter of a Liechtenstein newspaper described his experiences at the Expo with the following words: "In the middle of the entrance hall stands a bust of the Reigning Prince. On a wide buttress breaking through the ceiling stand the symbols of religion, the State, and its laws: cross, coat of arms, and the Constitution. Inside the pavilion is a garden, around which the exhibition objects are arranged. On the right long side of the pavilion, Liechtenstein industry presents its products, and a map illustrates our foreign trade. At the back of the pavilion, large photographs show the beauty of our landscape, which is sensibly complemented by objects from rural life and work."

As before in Hanover and Brussels, Liechtenstein wants to present itself to visitors in Shanghai as a modern small State with a vibrant tradition. Another common feature of the three appearances at a world's fair is also that the event will be commemorated with special postage stamps. At the Expo 58 in Brussels, two special stamps with a relief of Liechtenstein were issued, one in the gold-and-red colors of the Princely House and one in the blue-and-red national colors. The three special stamps for Expo 2000 in Hanover were designed by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser and were dedicated to "Environment and Development". A special issue with two stamps will appear for Shanghai 2010: One stamp shows a work of art from the collections of the Reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, while the other shows a Chinese work of art, the original of which will be exhibited in Vaduz during the exposition.