Conference Venue

Beijing Friendship Hotel, a five-star garden hotel.

http://www.bjfriendshiphotel.com/english/index.asp

 

Language

The official language of the Conference will be English.

Personal Insurance

We recommend that all participants take out a personal travel and health insurance for their trip.

Climate

October is the best month in Beijing as the skies are clear and the weather is pleasant. Temperatures are between 10-20°C at the end of October.

Chinese Visas

A valid passport and visa for visiting China are required. You can apply for an entry visa at your local Chinese Embassy or Consulate General with 1) a valid passport, 2) a visa application form, 3) a visa notification form (we will send you the visa notification form after your registration), 4) confirmation of your hotel reservation, 5) round-trip flight tickets.

Very Important: Please note that the Chinese Government has tighened visa application process for security reasons ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August 2008. It is imperative to have all the five documents altogether for your visa application.

You can download the Visa Application Form from the website of your local Chinese Embassy or Consulate General.

We advise you to apply for your Chinese visas after the Beijing Olympics in August, namely from September 2008 to avoid the tighten security measures. It takes only 4-5 working days to process your visa application once you have all the five documents listed above.

Electricity

The electricity is supplied at 220V, 50Hz in China.

Currency Exchange

In China, only RMB is used. However, exchange centers can be found at airports, most hotels and large shopping centers. When exchanging money, please keep your receipt by which you can change any remaining RMB back to foreign currency when leaving China. Visa, Master, American Express, Diners Club and JCB are accepted in many department stores, shops and hotels. It may be difficult to draw cash with credit cards.

The Bank of China and most hotels can cash travelers check issued by any foreign bank or financial institution. Participants will need to show a passport. Travelers' check signed over to a third party cannot be cashed in China, but can be presented for collection through the Bank of China.