Yabi (right), the mascot of 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo and Haibao, the 2010 World Expo mascot attend an exclusive show promoting 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo in Shanghai. [Photo: sohu.com]

Yabi, mascot of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo and Haibao, the 2010 World Expo mascot shook hands for the first time on Sunday in Shanghai.

That first handshake showed the determination of the event organizers to promote exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, the newspaper the Oriental Morning Post has reported.

During the upcoming World Expo, the city of Taipei will be one of the highlights for displays of the wireless-city and garbage-recycling system, which have been listed as the Urban Best Practices showcase at the Expo.

In addition to those exhibitions, the pavilion of Taipei will have more to offer, including information about the 2010 Taipei International Flora Expo and travel tips in Taiwan. In this way, the city hopes to see more mainland tourists visiting Taipei as well as the Expo, which will be held between November 2010 and April 2011.

To achieve that goal, Taipei couldn't wait any longer. The tourism bureau of Taipei brought an exclusive show to Shanghai, aimed at introducing both the expo and the typical elements of Taiwan, such as tourist attractions and delicious snacks.

Both mascots, Yabi and Haibao, attended the show. And Yabi, literally the Seed Baby distributed 3,000 bags of flower seeds to Shanghai residents, hoping to promote the green theme of the Expo.

Furthermore, the two events' organizers are discussing a plan which will give special favor to Flora Expo visitors who have visited the World Expo in Shanghai, according to Tuo Zonghua, the head of Taipei's tourism bureau.