A series of high-level diplomatic events scheduled to be held in
Shanghai will inevitably affect citizens and businesses in the
metropolis. At a press conference held Sunday by the Organizing
Committee of the 60th Session of the UN Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Vice Mayor Jiang
Sixian expressed in advance his deep appreciation to the people for
their understanding and cooperation.
The eight-day ESCAP session will begin on Thursday,?April
22. The 800-member guest list includes UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan, three heads of state, eleven former foreign statesmen, and
more than 30 ministerial-level officials from around the world.
Another group of foreign statesmen will arrive?in May for
the?Shanghai Conference on Scaling Up Poverty Reduction
sponsored by the World Bank.
The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office reports that more
than 20 foreign state leaders are scheduled to visit Shanghai from
April to May. The accompanying pomp and ceremony, as well as
security precautions, are expected to interfere to some extent with
normal life, particularly for commuters.
Jiang noted that hospitable Shanghai citizens understand the
situation and work together with the municipal government to
contribute to the success of such international conferences. The
vice mayor thanked them on behalf of the municipal government.
To reduce inconvenience to citizens, the city has arranged for
most conference events to be held in the Pudong area. The advanced
traffic management systems in Pudong are expected to help minimize
congestion on the roads.
(China.org.cn by Xu Zhiquan, April 20, 2004)