Shanghai conference offers guide to foreign business

More than 60 representatives from foreign companies in Shanghai participated in the briefing conference held by the US Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai on Friday, providing comprehensive service information and guidelines for expats in or about to come to the city.

Officials from the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government introduced the International Services Shanghai (english.shanghai.gov.cn), an official online portal for expat services that launched on Jan 1, to participants and encouraged more expats to use the portal as a service guide.

"This is a great service to all international visitors," said Eric Zheng, president of the US Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. "It includes all the relevant information whether you are about to come to, working or living in Shanghai."

As a member of the chamber, Zheng often needed information related to operating a business in Shanghai, and he could easily find the statistic yearbooks, industrial outputs and tax information on the service website.

"Shanghai has always been a very business-friendly city. I think this is the time to reach out to the foreign business community to let them know that the city is welcoming them," Zheng said.

Zhou Chen, the representative from the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, also explained the five measures that were issued by the National Immigration Administration on Jan 11 during the briefing.

The measures aim to further facilitate entry of foreign nationals for business, education and tourism, according to Zhou.