Getting there British Airways (five flights a week), Virgin Atlantic (one daily flight) and China Eastern Airlines (two flights a week) offer non-stop flights to Shanghai from London Heathrow. Non-direct daily flights are available from Cathay Pacific, Air China and other operators. 

Business climate Shanghai is increasingly seen as the next Hong Kong by many multinationals and is officially the economic capital of China. Many banks (including HSBC) have established their Asia-Pacific headquarters in the Pudong area of the city. New skyscrapers are emerging at a dizzying pace. Shanghai is more commonly accepted as a place for work than for tourism.

Don't miss Shanghai is famous for its evening scenery, with neon lights and extravagant firework displays. An evening cruise on the Huangpu River is a must for anyone who wants to take in the spectacular sights of the old and the new Shanghai. You can enjoy stunning views of the metropolis over a meal at the revolving restaurant on the upper sphere of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. 

Etiquette During office hours, business wear is the norm, but in the summer you can get away with a semi-formal look as the weather can get ridiculously hot and humid (air-conditioning is widely used in offices). Seniority counts and the corporate structure is very hierarchical. If you are a junior employee, avoid challenging your senior management during corporate meetings. Knowing a few phrases in Mandarin would be useful outside of the office.

Culture The 1,760 year old Buddhist Jing'an Temple (pronounced Jing An Se), located in the heart of the central business district, is best seen in the morning when it's not too busy. Equally stunning and with historical ambience are the Yuyuan Gardens. You can spend those quieter moments at the main Shanghai Museum and the Shanghai Art Museum.

Where to stay There are at least 30 five or four-star hotels to choose from. The new Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai and the Eton Hotel (also in Pudong) offer rooms with stunning views of the city across the Huangpu river.

Eat like a local Local Shanghainese cuisine can be quite sweet. Highly recommended are two restaurants known for their authentic local cuisine, Old Town and the Dexingguan. The former was set up in the City God Temple area during the Qing Dynasty. It is the first local-food restaurant in Shanghai—look out for fresh fish, shrimps, crabs and eels. The Dexingguan opened in 1883. Its specialties are fish fin, fresh pork and salted pork cooked with bamboo shoot.

Navjot Singh is the author of China: The Business Traveller's Handbook, due for release early in 2009