Our advice is: better not to bring. Starting from April 1st, even fruit knives in Shanghai need to be purchased under a real-name system. Although we haven't tried it, bringing a fruit knife into the park is absolutely impossible - it can't even pass through airport security checks, let alone the stricter Expo security checks?
In fact, entering the park, the access pass was the most troubling issue for us. The Expo registered journalist ID hasn't been issued yet, and to get in, we had to apply for a temporary access pass, which required making an appointment three days in advance. Given our tight interview schedule, this was obviously not very feasible. Fortunately, the Expo authorities were relatively "accommodating" towards the media, allowing us to borrow temporary passes from our peers in Shanghai. During these interviews, we entered the park three times, borrowing credentials from different media organizations each time. A reporter from the Liberation Daily reminded us repeatedly when handing over her pass: make sure to return it by tonight, as my ID card and journalist ID are both held there!
However, the construction units responsible wouldn't be as "accommodating" as we were. They had to rely on showing special access passes. Forgetting to bring one meant no entry, even if you were familiar with the staff. At the eastern entrance, a manager from a construction company negotiated multiple times with the security guards but was still unable to enter without the proper credentials. Out of options, the manager could only call his subordinates while yelling angrily: after such a long period of construction, you still can't handle this?!
A little side story: On March 31st, during our first visit to the park for an interview, due to the cold weather, none of us brought water. After running around for three or four hours, we were parched, but there was nowhere to buy water as all shops were still under renovation!
Of course, after the Expo opens, with your Expo ticket, you won’t have any issues with access passes, but security checks will still be inevitable.
As we were leaving the park, a worker carrying an oxygen tank also wanted to leave. A soldier stopped him: please show your exit permit. The worker searched his whole body: sorry, I forgot to bring it. He wanted to explain something but didn't say anything further, already looking utterly dejected as he carried the oxygen tank back inside.
If you want to eat fruit, bring some that doesn't require peeling; there will definitely be some available for purchase within the Expo site.
Given the successful security experience from the Olympics and the well-known meticulousness of the people of Shanghai, almost no one worries about the security at the Expo.
For example, to enter the park, besides needing an access pass, security checks are naturally unavoidable. After passing through the security gate, the detector scans your entire body, and both the inside and outside of your outerwear are inspected. Compared to airport security, the soldiers responsible for Expo park security not only have a serious attitude and meticulous, gentle actions, but more importantly, they always smile: "Excuse me for the trouble, please come over for a security check!"
How to smoothly pass through security? Not carrying dangerous items is something everyone knows - bringing these items means you can't even get close to the Expo park; every subway entrance, train station, and bus station has security checks - the key is, can some potentially dangerous items be brought? For instance, a fruit knife? Surely you can cut fruit to eat after getting tired from touring the park?
And this, does not contradict strictness.
In Shanghai, although security measures are stringent everywhere, some details appear more humane, like near Wuxi Shuofang Airport hotels.
Is Expo security very strict? The detector scans your entire body once.