Sources with China's Ministry of Finance, ADB, and the Shanghai Preparatory Office of the 35th ADB Annual Meeting said in Shanghai on Tuesday that preparations for the meeting and relevant activities were almost complete.

The Shanghai International Media Center, designated to host the 400-strong Chinese and overseas journalists covering the event, is set to open Wednesday.

A total of 16 hotels, including the Oriental Riverside, the Shangri-La Pudong, and the Holiday Inn Pudong, will accommodate the participants, and both the Hongqiao International Airport and the Pudong International Airport have set exclusive passageways and added shuttle buses.

Some 500 volunteers, either from local universities, government departments or enterprises, and 100 liaison officers, are ready to take part in the reception and other service work.

ADB officials recently inspected the preparatory work and expressed their satisfaction, saying that this year's ADB annual meeting would possibly be the best in its history.

About 3,300 participants, including senior officials of the 60 ADB members, will attend the annual meeting.

Starting May 8, more than 60 seminars, aiming to promote dialogue on issues that are shaping the future of the region, will also be held, and on May 9, a special seminar named "PRC (People's Republic of China) Day" is slated for an intensive discussion of Chinese economic and social development.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2002)