Preparations to build China’s second Disneyland theme park are reportedly under way in Shanghai.

The city’s mayor Han Zheng told local media that all preparatory work was underway and that the scheme was now waiting for final approval from the central government.

However, a spokesperson for Disney told the People’s Daily that no agreement had been reached on a new theme park and that there was no new information of a possible site in the city.

He admitted though that China was the first choice for Disney to expand its business.

Disney opened its first Asian theme park on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island in September 2005.

The 128-hectare (310-acre) attraction’s facilities include two theme parks, 2,100 hotel rooms and a 28,000sq m (300,000sq ft) retail, dining and entertainment complex.

The theme park’s projected economic benefit to Hong Kong as a whole has been estimated at HK$148bn (US$19bn, £9.8bn, 111bn euro) over the next 40 years.

The park is expected to create 18,000 jobs in the area and to attract around 10 million visitors per year. Details: www.disney.com