Weng Tiehui, vice-mayor of Shanghai, said that in the new era, the city must pay more attention to cultivating talent with a good mastery of foreign languages as well as expertise in a professional field.

"The 2018 TESOL China Assembly being held here is an affirmation of Shanghai's English education," she said at the opening of the assembly.

"Shanghai will continue to be committed to innovating English education to make it suit the all-around growth of talent as well as the development of the city and the country."