Distinguished guests visited Shanghai Museum East Branch on Saturday for a Chinese heritage tour as an appetizer for the 36th IBLAC, which will be held tomorrow.

More than 30 guests were given a tour of labs used to restore and protect ancient ceramics, paintings and calligraphy works.

They carefully observed the paintings and objects that have been conserved through innovative technologies and were amazed by the exquisite skills of ancient Chinese artists.

Guests visit the conservation lab.[Photo by Dong Jun/SHINE]

Jacques de Vaucleroy, chairman of Swiss Re, found the tour impressive and wished it was longer.

"The combination of a modern museum and the old cultural heritage of China is amazing," Vaucleroy said.

"There's one thing that both the conservation work and optimizing the city have in common, that is, resilience. This is also the reason that we gather together today for a better city and a better future."

Guests observe ancient pieces of porcelain. [Photo by Dong Jun/SHINE]

Bruno Lannes, senior partner at Bain & Company, was grateful to take part in this tour and said he expected some good ideas to be tabled at the conference tomorrow.

"We've been a member of this conference for at least 15 years," Lannes said. "We feel happy being able to contribute to IBLAC for so long time."

"I think IBLAC is a very unique forum for bringing together leaders from the world, together with leaders from Shanghai, trying to make Shanghai an even better city."

Initiated in 1989, IBLAC was conceived to build exchanges between international entrepreneurs and the Chinese government.

With the growing influence of the IBLAC, the number of attending members has increased from 12 members in eight countries to over 40 from 15 countries, covering various industries including manufacturing, consumer goods, auto, pharmaceuticals and finance.