Rewarding Liu Yunxiang from Hunan Province with a 52- inch television worth 12,000 yuan ($1,757) Tuesday, the Taiwan Pavilion celebrated its 100,000th visitor since opening its doors to guests during trial operations last month before the opening of the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

"I am so lucky," exclaimed Liu, 63, accompanied by his wife, who immediately called their daughter to share the news with her, saying that his gift would be given to her upon returning back home.

The retired government official, who arrived to the city on a group tour a day earlier, said that because he already owned a 47-inch television, his newly-wed daughter would have more use for it.

Though marking this number of visitors comes weeks after many of the national pavilions have achieved the same record, the occasion marked a milestone for the 650-square-meter pavilion, significantly smaller than most other structures, and one that only admits 4,000 daily visitors. Every visitor requires a reservation ticket for entry, passes which are handed out inside the Expo Park by staff nearby the pavilion at 9 am and 6 pm daily.

"By Monday night, we received 98,000 visitors," said Walter Yeh, head of the Taiwan Pavilion. "That's how we knew for sure that the lucky 100,000th person would show up today."

Yeh, who said the pavilion has no plans to increase its daily visitor capacity, will continue to give out freebies to every increment of 100,000 visitors to the structure running under the theme of "Mountain, Water, Heart and Lantern".

"Gifts will include computers, hi-fi equipment and other electronic devices," he added. "The value of these giveaways is close to 100 million yuan ($14.6 million)."

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