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General Information

Conference Venue

The XVIII ISABE Conference will be held in Beijing Friendship Hotel, a large garden style hotel consisting of five main hotel buildings and some apartments. The hotel is located in the west part of Beijing, easily accessible from Beijing Capital International Airport. It contains all hotel facilities such as swimming pool, tennis field, business center, and restaurants of different cuisines. Two shopping malls and a supermarket are within 15-minute walk.

The hotel has different categories of rooms for accommodation, ranging from four-star to three-star to apartments, meeting the needs of different budget.

History of Beijing

Beijing is home to the Peking Man, one of the earliest human species that existed some 500,000 year ago. Historic records and archeological findings prove that as a city Beijing dates to more than 3000 years ago. It was the capital of five dynasties - Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Since October 1, 1949, Beijing has been the capital of the People's Republic of China.

Beijing's Population/Area

Beijing has a population of 15 million. Its area is 16,807.8 square kilometers of which 38 are flatland.

Arrival in Beijing

All flights arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport, which is 30 kilometers from town, and is served by major international airline companies. Airport bus shuttles connect the airport to different parts of downtown Beijing, including Beijing Friendship Hotel. Our staff will be at the airport on September 1 and 2 to guide the participants to taxi stop or the shuttle bus stop. The following may help you to get to the hotel:

Passport and Visa

A valid passport and visa for visiting China are required for all participants, except those from Japan and Singapore if they stay for less than 15 days. Upon receiving your Registration Form, the secretariat will send you an official invitation letter with which you can apply for an entry visa at the Chinese Embassy or the nearest consulate general.

Currency

In China, only Chinese yuan is used. However, exchange centers can be found at airports, most hotels and large shopping centers. The exchange rate is about US$ 1 = CNY 7.70 yuan, € 1 euro = CNY 10 yuan. When exchanging money, please keep your receipt, which you will need in order to 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 and hotels. It may be difficult to draw cash with credit cards.

Transport

The most convenient way to get around Beijing is by taxi. There are over 52,000 taxi cabs in Beijing at all times of the day, with basically two price categories: 1.2 yuan/km and 1.6 yuan/km.

Public buses are the cheapest way to get around Beijing. You can reach almost anywhere in Beijing by public buses. The downside is that they are often crowded, slow and mostly not air-conditioned.

Subway is the fastest way to get around the center of the city. There are currently four lines with a length of 116km. More lines are being built to meet the transport demands of Olympic Games in 2008.

Electricity

The electric current in China is 220V, 50hz. Most hotels have built-in converters in bathrooms for shavers and hair dryers. Please note that a variety of plug types are used in China, and adaptors may be necessary.

Tipping

Tipping is discouraged by authorities and is not required in China ¨C even at upscale restaurants and hotels. It is also not expected that you tip the taxi drivers. However, in hotels and during group travels, tipping is practiced for porters and tour guides.

Shopping

Shopping is very convenient in Beijing. There are super-stores, mega-malls and markets where you can buy just about anything you need. And the shops open every day in the week.

Wangfujing

Wangfujing is the name of a one-kilometer shopping street, with a history of more than 100 years. It is lined with shops. The best known is the Beijing Department Store and the Beijing Handicraft Store. The new Sun Dong An Market is the largest in Beijing, covering an area of 100,000 square meters.

Silk Market

The Silk Market has much more than just the silk. In addition to cheap silk products there are also cashmere garments, down jackets, leather goods, shoes, hats, watches and some handicrafts.

Liulichang

Liulichang is a small street lined with shops bearing Ming and Qing dynasty architectural features. With brightly painted doors and eaves and gracefully curved black-tiled-roofed buildings, a little of old Beijing's lifestyle is retained here. The street is famous for its antique stores.

Friendship Store

If you have limited time to stay in Beijing, the Friendship Store is an ideal place to buy gifts to take home. Here you can buy all kinds of traditional Chinese crafts and goods such as silk garments, jewelry, hand-made silk carpets and folk crafts. Many of the employees here can speak some foreign languages.

Panjiayuan and Beijing Curio City

Panjiayuan is a Sunday flea market building which is full of antiques or antique reproductions and general kitsch. Beijing Curio City is a large curio arts and crafts trade center, with all kinds of antiques, such as porcelain, paintings, jade and ivory carvings, old carpets, and jewelry.