Shanghai launches new portal for expat services
The Shanghai Municipal People’s Government launched on Monday the beta version of a new online portal for expat services.
The portal, named International Services Shanghai and operated by China Daily, serves as a onestop platform for foreigners looking for information related to work, travel or study in Shanghai. It has its own Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and WeChat accounts.
The new website answers the call for efforts to effectively remove obstacles for foreigners who wish to come to China for business, education and tourism, which was made during the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing on Dec 11 and 12.
The portal has been integrated with the city’s e-governance platform, Government Online-Offline Shanghai, to offer foreigners quick access. It will later be made available in eight other languages — Japanese, Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Arabic.
Online and offline activities, such as policy introduction sessions, business consultations, themed salons, cultural experiences, and learning and training events, will be organized to better serve and engage with the expat community.
Many expats and representatives of foreign enterprises who participated in the beta testing of the portal have lauded its launch.
Michael Wong, managing partner of Talent Service, Asia Pacific, EY, said the portal will allow people interested in coming to Shanghai to make better-informed decisions.
Montealegre Carvajal Edwin Roberto from Costa Rica, a student at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, said the information provided on the website regarding the setting up of businesses has allowed him to thoroughly understand the details of the process. He is planning to open his own performance company after graduation.
Clarisse le Guernic, a French national who works in the tourism industry in Shanghai, said the portal will allow her to better answer queries from her customers about the city.
Shanghai-based marketing consultant Natacha Extier, who is also from France, said the website is useful even for long-term residents like her, as it contains a wealth of useful information on doing business in the city.
During the “Invest in China Year” summit in November, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng said the city is a charming one, full of hope and unlimited opportunities, and it is a land for entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams.
“We will continue to create a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, provide accurate, convenient and innovative high-quality services, and work hand in hand with everybody to build an open and prosperous future,” Gong said.