Welcome to Shanghai

Wang Naili

In the spring of 2010, Shanghai, the metropolis on the coast of East China Sea, will be revealing her charming beauty to guests from every corner of the world coming to visit Expo 2010 Shanghai China. Shanghai Municipal People's Government and the hospitable people of Shanghai have already been fully prepared for them: The wine cups will be filled brimful with nectar-like wines, the flowers will be in full blossom, the white pigeons will be soaring and fluttering in the blue skies, and the clock on the top of our Customs House at the Bund will be tolling to announce the opening of Expo 2010. The tolling of the clock, which echoes through time and space and in our hearts, reminds us that Shanghai, over the past 160 years, has undergone great changes. What remains unchanged, however, are our good wishes and unwavering efforts for the world peace and human progress.

Expo 2010 Shanghai China, sponsored by the Chinese Government and undertaken in Shanghai, is a grand global exposition that will raise its curtain at a special historical moment. We solemnly abide by our promise to hold a successful, magnificent and memorable world Expo. Moreover, we sincerely expect to uphold the theme of this Expo: Better City, Better Life, together with the efforts from people all over China as well as all over the world.

Shanghai is a city full of vitality, imagination, and competitiveness. As the largest comprehensive industrial city in China, it is not only an important center of science and technology, shipping, finance and information, but also one of the fastest developing and economically prosperous cities in China. Situated in the mouth of the Changjiang River and in the middle of coastline from north to south, it enjoys a favorable geographical location, with convenient transport and broad hinterland. Shanghai Port is one of the largest ports in the world.

Besides, as a prestigious city of history and culture, many important events in modern and contemporary Chinese history took place in Shanghai. Jiangnan Machinery Manufacture Arsenal laid the developmental foundation of the modern industry in China. The gallery of world architectures at the Bund displays the brilliant charms of the Asian financial center. The site of the First Conference of the Communist Party of China in Xingye Road kindled the spark of the torch for the tortuous revolutionary long trek. Furthermore, Expo 2010 Shanghai loeated by the side of the Huangpu River will embody the modern civilization of human society in terms of "Better City, Better Life."

Shanghai is a city that strongly cherishes respect for traditional culture and actively implements the open policy, various cultures manifest their respective charm and uniqueness, and merge with one another. Up to now, Shanghai still preserves dozens of architectural styles of different historical periods in the world. It maintains the traditional civil residences in the region south of the Changjiang River and clusters of the stone-gate residential houses. The original living of Shanghai civilians is complete, orderly and natural. In Shanghai area, there are still many well kept several-hundred-year-old towns such as Fengjing, Qibao, Gaoqiao, Zhujiajiao, etc.; folk and religious locations such as City God Temple, Longhua Temple, Jing'an Temple, Jade Buddha Temple, Community Church, Xujiahui Cathedral, etc.; and humanistic memorial sites such as the Memorial Hall of the First Conference of the Communist Party of China, the Memorial Hall and Former Residence of Dr. Sun Yatsen, the Former Residence of Lu Xun, the Ruins of Ancient People at Guangfulin Relics, and the Former Site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, etc.

Shanghai was the first city in China that accepted the advanced western culture, digested and absorbed it, and took advantage of it. The earliest movie, modern opera, modern fine arts, modern music, journalism, recreational business, etc. all began in Shanghai and then rapidly spread to the rest of China.

Today, Shanghai has become, in the true sense of the term, an important city of culture that people all over the world yearn to visit to. Shanghai International Tourism Festival, Shanghai International Film Festival, Shanghai International Art Festival, Shanghai TV Festival, Shanghai Nanhui Peach Blossom Festival, and other festivals have been attracting more and more participants from home and abroad. Shanghai TV Festival was the first international TV festival that China initiated and ran. And Shanghai International Film Festival has already been certified by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations and categorized as A-list film festival.

Shanghai is one of the major tourist cities in China. The tourist industry accounts for approximately 8% of the total GDP of Shanghai. With the infrastructure for tourism getting better and better, the tourist receptive capacity is improving. There are now over 400 star-rated hotels in Shanghai. Every autumn, Shanghai International Tourism Festival is held for nearly one month.

Shanghai has a subtropical climate of the northern hemisphere and experiences four distinct seasons with sufficient sunshine and ample rainfall. Therefore, it is quite suitable for the convening of international conventions and exhibitions as well as important sports matches. It boasts first-class stadiums, sports halls, and facilities.

To be a good host and to run Expo 2010 well, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press planned and published this set of books under the title of Welcome to Shanghai. The contents of the books include all the basic elements of contemporary tourism, with the intention to offer guiding services for the domestic and overseas guests in terms of board and lodging, touring and sightseeing. The publication of the books is actually a concrete demonstration of good service. Of course, what is listed and stated in this set of books is far from enough to cover the whole service industry in Shanghai; it is merely a drop of water in the ocean. There are many more places in Shanghai that can cater for the needs of the domestic and overseas tourists. The open Shanghai will surely give our guests pleasant surprises from time to time.

With the spirit of "broad-mindedness, high value, wisdom, and modesty," we are determined to run an excellent Expo 2010 Shanghai, enabling our forein guests to genuinely witness the courage and speed with which China is marching toward modernizations and to heartily witness the joys of the Chinese people that share the fruits of reform and opening-up as well as their pride.