"Shanghai is a great financial heart not only for China but also the Asia-Pacific," said Tarik Temucin, the general manager of the Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai.

Temucin made the remarks in a video which is part of the "Shanghai Through Our Eyes" series that was produced by Xinmin Evening News to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China this year.

The Information Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government launched the series on April 8.

Temucin, who has been working in the city for four years, also lauded the city as a safe place to live.

"Shanghai is a safe city," he said. "My kids were able to walk home by themselves".

In the video, Temucin also spoke about how the pandemic has affected the hospitality industry. He noted that the Portman Ritz-Carlton had continued to operate throughout the crisis because of the decisive actions taken by the government.

He then shared a story about how the hotel helped a family from Wuhan that was not able to return home because of the lockdown. Following the family's return to their city, Temucin and his staff received apples and handwritten notes from the children as a show of appreciation. This gesture, he said, has motivated him to work even harder to serve his guests to the best of his ability.

Jin Xinyi contributed to this story.