Chinese and overseas experts attend a global city-themed symposium in Shanghai on April 1. [Photo/whb.cn]

Dozens of experts from home and abroad flocked to Shanghai on April 1 to brainstorm about the city's goal of developing into an excellent global city.

A global city is one generally considered to be an important node in the global economic system. The term was proposed by sociologist Saskia Sassen in her 1991 work, The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo.

Sassen was also invited to attend the symposium and said, "Shanghai's goal impresses me. Shanghai is one of my favorite global cities. I think the future belongs to China, because you are capable of reform and innovation."

She emphasized that an excellent global city doesn't mean one that is well-rounded, but one able to find its own advantages.

Zhou Zhenhua, president of the Shanghai Economist Association, has published a series of global city-themed books. He said that an excellent global city must be attractive, creative, and influential; so Shanghai has to build up its city brand.

Wu Zhiqiang, vice president of Tongji University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that Shanghai should open its arms to young people from all over the world because talented youth are the internal driving force of an excellent global city.

Jiang Chuanhai, president of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, mentioned ways for Shanghai to improve global resources allocation capacity.

Wang Lan, president of Shanghai Century Publishing Group, stated that to achieve the goal, Shanghai has to have foresight.

Saskia Sassen, who proposed the term "global city" in her 1991 work, The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo, attends the symposium in Shanghai on April 1. [Photo/whb.cn]

Global city-focused books written by Zhou Zhenhua, president of the Shanghai Economist Association [Photo/whb.cn]