Han Zheng

Mayor, Shanghai Municipality

On behalf of the Municipal People's Government of Shanghai, I hereby extend a sincere invitation and a warm welcome to the International Federation of Translators (FIT) as we offer to host the 2008 XVIII FIT World Congress in Shanghai.

As an important economic center of China, and as an epitome of China's reforms, opening up and modernization and development, Shanghai has successfully hosted many important international conferences, exhibitions and cultural events in the course of which it has accumulated much experience and trained a large number of professional workers. Along with the acceleration of its development into an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center, Shanghai will become increasingly better equipped to host international conferences.

Shanghai is, moreover, one of the most attractive cities in China. The brilliant integration of Eastern and Western cultures has imbued the city with a distinctive urban landscape and unique cosmopolitan flavors.  Shanghai's warm-hearted and hospitable citizens open their arms to welcome every visitor from around the world.

The Municipal Government of Shanghai will fully support the organizing work of the Translators Association of China (TAC) to ensure the complete success of the XVIII FIT World Congress. I sincerely look forward to meeting you and FIT delegates in 2008 in Shanghai.