Shanghai opens upgraded center for overseas talents

An upgraded service center to better meet overseas talents' needs with high-quality, efficient and seamless services opened in Shanghai's Changning district on Tuesday.

The service center, officially known as Shanghai Hongqiao One-stop Service Center for Overseas Talents, is the updated version of the previous one. Taking up a space of more than 11,000 square meters, the center consists of a self-service area, a core functional area as well as a digital display area.

"Situated in a location with more convenient transportation, the new center offers improved software and hardware to better serve overseas talents' all-around requirements in working, studying and life," said Li Min, an official in charge of the overseas talents affairs reception section at the service center.

According to Li, the center's service includes 65 items of functions, or 35 government services and 30 life services.

"Our work at the service center is trying to offer convenience to foreigners upon their arrival, such as how to lease an apartment, exchange currency, find a place for dinner, or make purchase and payment on e-commerce platform Taobao," said Bermet Dzhuzumkulova, a social worker from Kyrgyzstan at the service center.

"Like many foreigners, I encountered many difficulties when I first came to China," said Dzhuzumkulova, who is currently a student at the Donghua University.

"We always regard talents as the most critical strategic resources, so we are creating a better development ecology and a welcoming environment for all kinds of talents concentrate on their research and business without distractions," said Zhang Wei, Party chief of Shanghai's Changning district during the service center's launch ceremony on Tuesday.

"We expect more and more outstanding talents to gather in Changning district, take root in the city of Shanghai, and realize their dreams here," Zhang added.

The ceremony also witnessed the launch of the Shanghai Hongqiao Immigration Service Center, along with the first batch of permanent residence ID cards issued by the new center.

"Today I received the third generation of the permanent resident ID card and I am really happy to receive it. I am sure it will make my life living here much more convenient compared to before. So I'm really happy," said Daniel Paul Nicholson, a factory director with a German textile machinery company in Shanghai.

Coming from England, Nicholson said he has lived in the city for nearly 20 years, and viewed the city as his second home.