The annual Asia -Pacific Journal of Accounting and Economics (APJAE) Symposium was this year held in ShanghaiNthe first time the symposium has been held outside Hong Kong . More than 150 accounting and auditing academics, practitioners and research students from around the world attended the 4th APJAE Symposium from 6 to 8 January at the Shanghai National Institute of Accounting (SNAI). The symposium was co-organized by CityU, Hong Kong Polytechnic University , SNAI, Fudan University and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. It was supported by the American Accounting Association, the Hong Kong Society of Accountants and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

The symposium's opening ceremony was held in the heart of Shanghai , at the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Officiating at the ceremony, Shanghai Futures Exchange Chairman Ms Wang Lihua said, "This annual meeting is a very important academic activity that is of inspirational meaning to the development of the Shanghai Futures Exchange and the enhancement of Shanghai as an international financial centre."

Also officiating at the ceremony, SNAI President Professor Xia Dawei told delegates that in the process of transforming to a market economy, China is searching for an effective governance standard that will fit in with China's society and economic and legal environment. "In view of this, the APJAE symposium will have significant meaning for us."

The symposium kicked off with a Corporate Governance Forum titled "Corporate Governance: In the Wake of Enron" and also featured a Research Forum and paper presentations on a variety of accounting topics.

At the symposium, Chair Professor Ferdinand Gul, Head of CityU's Department of Accountancy and Director of the Accounting and Corporate Governance Centre, announced the formation of the Asia-Pacific Institute of Corporate Governance, an umbrella organization which will organize conferences and disseminate findings of major research in corporate governance in the Asia-Pacific region.