EDITOR'S Note:

Shanghai is throwing its economic weight behind a campaign to turn itself into a global financial, shipping and trade center.

The city welcomes global voices in this daunting process.

Each year, the most astute minds in the corporate and financial world are invited to Shanghai by the mayor to offer their advice on how the city can best move forward with sustainable and balanced growth.

The International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai, now at its 23rd annual session, has become a mature and highly respected forum providing a convergence point between global experience and the city's aspirations.

Ahead of this year's think-tank meeting, Shanghai Daily and Oriental Morning Post sponsored a pre-forum survey, seeking to collect constructive opinion and advice from senior executives at multinational companies and overseas financial media professionals working and living in Shanghai.

Our input survey is supported by the Information Office of the Shanghai Municipality, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipality and Shanghai Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment.

We are honored to receive responses from people in major overseas companies and institutions in this year's survey and select part of them in a booklet, which will be presented to the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai when it meets.

Acknowledgement

We appreciate all the companies and organizations which have supported the survey, especially the following ones:

BNP Paribas (China) Ltd

Bosch (China) Investment Ltd

Chartis Insurance Company China Ltd

Citibank (China) Co Ltd

Groupe Danone

GM China Group

Henkel China

HSBC Bank (China) Co Ltd

Intel China Ltd

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Sankei Shimbun

Shell Companies in China

Shui On Group

Kevin Wale

President and Managing Director GM China Group

Kevin Wale was appointed president and managing director of the GM China Group, eff ective on May 1, 2005. Based in Shanghai, Wale is responsible for the overall coordination of GM's extensive operations in Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Wale earlier served as vice president of General Motors Europe and chairman and managing director of Vauxhall Motors Ltd since 2002, with additional responsibilities leading GM Europe's commercial vehicle activities since 2004.

Based on your own experiences, what are the advantages of operating your business in Shanghai?

Shanghai and China's economy have been developing very fast in the past 20 years, which provides great business opportunities.

The city of Shanghai has outstanding infrastructure (including ports, airports, railroads and roads), great educational institutions, an excellent base of local talent, good schools and a lifestyle suitable for foreign staff, a large international business community and significant commercial opportunities. It also has a very supportive government that encourages foreign investment.

What aspects should the Shanghai Municipal Government pay attention to in terms of improving business environment? What measures can be taken accordingly?

The government has greatly supported the improvement of business environment. The overall environment is very friendly. If there are any areas for continued improvement, the government might consider further improving advanced healthcare services, the construction of a digital infrastructure, public transportation (particularly in outer areas in Pudong), a stable electricity supply, and a simplified permit approval process. We would also like to see an easing of importation regulations and the further opening of the financial market in general.

What kind of working and living environment does Shanghai need to attract talents in different industries?

We think Shanghai has attracted great talents from around the world. From an expat perspective, it will be easier if there are more advanced health care services and schools for children of global employees. In addition, it needs to make it easier for foreign experts to receive long-term visas and obtain permanent residence status.

Faruk Arig

President Henkel China

Faruk Arig has held his current role as President of Henkel China since 2006 and is also President of Henkel Korea. Previously, he was Vice President of Henkel Technologies Asia Pacific between 2005 and 2006.

Based on your own experiences, what are Shanghai's advantages to help you operate your business in Shanghai?

Convenient location covering north, south and middle parts of China with almost equal distance (that is) easy for import and export. Well developed infrastructure. Sufficient talents and research institutes available.

What aspects should the Shanghai Municipal Government pay attention to in terms of improving business environment? What measures can be taken accordingly?

Shanghai is already at a high standard compared with the rest of China.

The Shanghai Municipal Government has been advocating Shanghai as one of the global financial centers. We are in the chemical industry however. Suggest the government also promote Shanghai as a city for high-value, high-margin, advanced manufacturing (including chemical) industries as well.

What kind of working and living environment does Shanghai need to attract talents in different industries?

Developed public transportation (<1 hour commuting time)

Affordable real estate or reasonable residence rental cost

Developed and well-allocated school education resources

High living standards with reasonable living cost

Do you have any other suggestions?

Shanghai is becoming greener over the past couple of decades. However, we expect the city to be even greener with more public parks, green lands, trees and lawns, etc.

More public education on environment and ecology, so that the inhabitants can be more environmental-conscious.







French President Nicolas Sarkozy was to call Merkel yesterday to discuss the Greek referendum that sent stocks and the euro tumbling, the Elysee said. Sarkozy is "dismayed" by the Greek plan, Le Monde newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's personal and government popularity have plunged amid fresh austerity measures that sparked a wave of social unrest. He announced a parliamentary confidence vote on Monday that will conclude late on Friday. The referendum will likely be held after the details of the European accord are tied up. The European Union wasn't informed in advance of the plans, an EU official said yesterday.

"The German government has no official information yet" on the referendum, the Finance Ministry said, calling it "a domestic political development" on which it wouldn't comment. Completing the second bailout for Greece by the end of 2011 remains the EU's goal and work on the package is under way "with high intensity," the ministry said in a statement in Berlin.

Pressured by the United States and China to avert the threat posed by the crisis to the global economy, eurozone leaders announced a package of measures on October 27 including a second Greek bailout of 130 billion euros (US$178 billion) and a commitment by bondholders to accept a 50 percent writedown in Greek debt.

"If the Greek people don't see the necessity of backing Papandreou we have a whole different ballgame," Otto Fricke, the budget spokesman in parliament for Merkel's Free Democratic Party coalition partner, said by phone. "If he doesn't get a majority, then there's no second aid package, no voluntary haircut. We'd have a potentially explosive situation, one that leaves us baffled as to what we could possibly do next."

Group of 20 leaders are due to discuss the crisis at a Friday summit in Cannes, France, that risks being overshadowed by the Greek confidence vote result and, if the government survives, the subsequent referendum.