Shanghai has applied to Beijing to build a Disney theme park, the city's mayor, Han Zheng, says.
Mr Han's remark yesterday renewed the possibility there will be another Disneyland in China in addition to Disneyland Hong Kong. His words also ended years of speculation about Shanghai's ambition to host the American theme park, which has suffered several setbacks.
'We have applied to the National Development and Reform Commission, but so far we have not received any notice of approval. Any big-scale project of this kind has to receive central government approval, and Shanghai will of course abide by the central government's decision,' Mr Han said on the sidelines of the National People's Congress meeting.
The mayor also revealed the preferred site was Chuansha, a suburb in Pudong district which is about a 40-minute drive from the city centre.
In March 2006 and also in Beijing, Mr Han made a similar remark - that Shanghai had applied to the State Council to build a Disney theme park.
That revelation two years ago was the first official confirmation of Shanghai's ambition to host a Disneyland. Rumours of talks with the Walt Disney Company had surfaced from time to time since Hong Kong started discussions in 1999 about building a Disneyland.
Shanghai's plan was suspended following Beijing's assessment of its impact on the Hong Kong park and after then-Shanghai party chief Chen Liangyu's role in a social security fund scandal was uncovered.