The Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government is a city government organ in charge of foreign affairs of Shanghai, operating under the direction of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its Foreign Affairs Leading Group. Its main responsibilities are as follows:

-Implements and carries out the policies, laws and regulations concerning foreign affairs, and researches, drafts and executes local regulations and rules.

-Arranges for the reception of the foreign heads of state, government, heads of parties, other VIPs and foreign diplomatic personnel who are stationed in China or on business travels and for the city leaders' foreign affairs activities excluding foreign economic and trade events.

-Organizes and promotes activities with international sister cities and provinces, guides the work on reception of foreign guests, people-to-people exchange and setting up of venues of visit for foreign guests.

-Administrates Shanghai's official business travels abroad and to Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs), passport and visa matters for official business travels abroad and the issuance of travel passes to Hong Kong and Macao SARs, and is responsible for the city leaders' overseas visits, the administration of invitation to foreign guests, the exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong/Macao SARs and the issuance of visa notices to foreigners within its jurisdiction.

-Administrates consular affairs concerning foreign consulates-general and foreign media affairs regarding foreign journalists and permanent news agencies in Shanghai, and administrates and organizes interview activities for foreign journalists who come to Shanghai on a short-term basis.

-Handles or assists in handling major foreign affairs incidents in Shanghai.

-Guides and coordinates key foreign affairs activities, and examines and authorizes the organization of major international meetings in Shanghai.

-Cooperates with other city departments to examine and handle entry-exit matters and to administrate and present awards to foreign friends.

-Guides the work of foreign affairs-related organizations; is responsible for the education and training of the cadres in the foreign affairs sector in international relations, foreign policy and discipline in foreign affairs and supervises and reviews the implementation of those disciplines, handles, in cooperation with other organizations, major cases that violates the discipline in foreign affairs and cause damage to the national interests and prestige.

-Commends model organizations and persons in the foreign affairs sector in collaboration with other organizations.

-Administrates and guides the work of Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and other social groups. -Handles the administrative reviews and responds to administrative hearings.

-Undertakes other tasks assigned to it by the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government.