A fair to start the sales of Shanghai World Expo tickets was held in Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi here on Friday.

The participation of Vietnamese companies and visitors will surely contribute to the success of Shanghai World Expo, said Chen Xianjin, deputy director of the Shanghai World Expo Coordination Bureau at the fair.

Vietnam will set up a Vietnamese pavilion at the expo, said Le Tien Tho, Vietnamese deputy culture, sports and tourism minister at the fair.

The Vietnamese pavilion has chosen the theme of "1000-year- long history of Hanoi", said Tho. The design of the pavilion highlights Vietnamese culture. Traditional Vietnamese musical instrument will be showcased and played at the expo, he said.

Tho said this year marks the Year of Friendship between Vietnam and China. Vietnam's participation of Shanghai World Expo is of great importance in bilateral relations.

Tho said he expected Vietnam Pavilion could be an opportunity for Chinese people and people from other countries to learn about Vietnam. He hoped Vietnamese Pavilion could attract many visitors from around the world at the expo.