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How to get to
Shanghai New International Expo Centre, SNIEC
http://www.sniec.net/e/findus.htm
Conference Venue
Direction
SNIEC Hall
Plan
Travel Infomation
Website
http://www.cnta.gov.cn/lyen/index.asp
http://210.22.80.10/en/default.asp
http://english.pudong.gov.cn/life/life.asp
Shanghai General Infomation
Location
Shanghai
is at the centerpiece of east Asia and west Pacific region, nesting
beside the coast of China's East Sea.
Climatic Features
Subtropical
monsoon climate, warm and humid, with an average annual temperature
of 16¢XC.
Language
Most Chinese
people speak Mandarin. Although most tourist hotels employ staff
who are fluent in foreign languages, visitors may find it difficult
to make themselves understood by local people on the street. It
is advisable to have addresses or instructions written down in
Chinese. All major streets have signposts in pinyin - the Chinese
system of phonetics - which makes it easier to get around with
the help of a map.
Many Chinese,
especially young people, are now studying English and welcome
the opportunity to practice their English with foreigners. Don't
be afraid to ask for directions from people on the street. You
will usually be rewarded with a polite and often heroic attempt
to help.
Visa
Visas
are required for all foreigners entering mainland China. A standard
tourist visa is valid for a 30-day visit. They can usually be
obtained from Chinese embassies or consulates in your own country.
You can organise your trip to China from Hong Kong through a travel
agent. Express visas for mainland China can sometimes be obtained
within 24 hours.
Currency
The standard
unit of currency in China is the renminbi (RMB), also known as
the yuan. The smaller units are the jiao and the fen. One yuan
is equivalent to 10 jiao, and one jiao equals 10 fen. The following
denominations are available in both notes and coins: one, two,
five, 10, 50 and 100 yuan; one, two and five jiao; and one, two
and five fen.
Foreign
currency and traveller's cheques can be changed at Bank of China
money exchanges, located at airports, hotels and tourist stores.
The exchange rate fluctuates according to international market
conditions. Traveller's cheques are generally exchanged at a better
rate than cash.
If you
want to change any RMB back to your local currency on departure,
you will need the form you filled out when changing the money.
Most money exchanges are open seven days a week from 9:00 to 17:00.
Mobile Phone Network
International
calls can be made directly from hotel rooms with IDD phones or
some large post offices. International calls are also possible
from public phones carrying an "IDD" sign. IDD calls
have a three-minute minimum charge, and additional time thereafter
is calculated by the minute. International calls assisted by operators
have a minimum three-minute charge. For cellular phones with global
roaming, China uses both CDMA and GSM systems.
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