Shanghai launches one-stop services to enhance int'l tourist experiences

Shanghai, one of China's most popular tourist destination among foreign visitors, has launched a series of one-stop service platforms, including service centers at airports and mobile phone applications, to provide better experiences for international tourists.

During the just-concluded May Day holiday, Shanghai was one of the most popular inbound travel destinations in China. At Pudong International Airport, the first stop for many international travelers arriving in Shanghai, the first thing that greets visitors as they exit the arrivals gate is a one-stop service center for foreign nationals.

The center brings together the most urgently needed services for foreign travelers, such as activating mobile payment, obtaining transportation cards and purchasing SIM cards, with staff providing attentive service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

"I am from Algeria, and I am here as a tourist visiting Shanghai. I am trying to connect to Alipay, and they work very good. I bought a SIM card from their friend, and that was a great service value," said Adel, a tourist.

Shanghai has launched an application called SH MaaS for its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform, which integrates the information of all means of transportation, including bus, subway, taxi, shared bike and ferry, enabling international travelers to navigate the entire city using mobile phones in their hands.

Through the application, users can check travel routes and timetables for buses and subways, as well as real-time updates on vehicle locations and upcoming arrivals. The application also provides a Chinese version to domestic tourists for an easy and convenient travel experience.

"It's very convenient to switch between the different options, transportation options. It provides real data, real tracking for the bus routes, and when the times arrival. So, it makes it much more convenient for me to actually see when the buses are coming. I heard some time between June of this year, the Shanghai Municipality is going to release a highly anticipated APP called Easy Go. It's gonna integrate different functions from shopping, dining, transportation. I'm really looking forward to this APP and I'm really looking forward to introducing this APP to my friends," said Douglas, another tourist.

Shanghai will launch another one-stop inbound travel service platform, "Easy Go", this June. A wide range of functions, including hotel booking, attraction ticketing, car rentals, public transportation, courier services, medical guidance, multilingual translation and tax refund, will then be conveniently accessible in a single application.

"We offer [the services] to our passengers and international visitors in the simplest way, so that more foreign guests can enjoy the service through more convenient and efficient access," said Ye Jun, technical head of SH MaaS.

The Shanghai cultural and tourism authorities have launched an AI-based mini-program, which integrates the city's cultural and tourism resources into one platform. Whether visitors are interested in red tourism, city walks, intangible cultural heritage towns, performances, exhibitions, local delicacies, transportation or accommodation, all relevant information is readily accessible within the platform.

Meanwhile, the mini-program functions as a personalized tour guide, offering tailored travel itineraries based on individual preferences.

As one of Shanghai's most iconic landmarks, the Oriental Pearl Tower has introduced an intelligent companion service this year. Through mobile phones, visitors can receive one-on-one guidance, including route navigation, cultural introductions to the attraction and customized tour plans.

In addition to commentary services, the application also allows users to type in questions and receive real-time answers, with seamless switching between Chinese and English languages.

Moving forward, Shanghai will continue to develop its smart tourism service system, further enhancing the precision and customization of cultural and tourism services.

Shanghai launches one-stop services to enhance int'l tourist experiences

The United States cannot legitimize an operation that attacked Venezuela and captured its president, a Chinese scholar said Sunday.

On Saturday, the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were 'captured and flown out of Venezuela' according to a post by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Center for Diplomatic Studies at Hunan Normal University, said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that the aim of this operation is to take full control of Venezuela’s natural resources.

"I don't think the United States can legitimize this operation to take custody of the president of Venezuela. And also I don't think the United States can legitimize its any action in taking the oil reserves of that country. This is actually a very dangerous game played by the Trump administration. And of course, the United States would like to take full control of that country and to take full control of the natural resources, especially the large reserve of oil in Venezuela," said Teng.

Teng said Venezuela is not an isolated case but a common practice by the United States. The United States launched an invasion of Panama on Dec. 20, 1989, which continued until January 1990, with the stated objective of capturing Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega on charges of drug trafficking and organized crime.

"We still remember the so-called sentence of the former president of Panama in the late 1980s. And this time, the president of Venezuela will be under some judicial condition (judicial proceedings) for the so-called drug trafficking and some other crimes. So I think this is not a single case for the Venezuela country, but also this is actually a practice by the United States -- to use force, to use so-called justice under law against any leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean waters," he said.

US cannot legitimize operation against Venezuela: Chinese scholar