On behalf of the Local Organizing Committee, We would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you to attend the 3rd SMICS 2005 Winter Workshop, which would be held in Shanghai during December 2-4, 2005.

After the success of the 1st and the 2nd Winter Workshop held in Asia, I am privileged to announce that the 3rd one is going to take place in Shanghai, the most prosperous city of China. In recent decades, Shanghai has undergone magnificent changes and is quickly regaining its previous memorable glamour. The city is thus full of vitality as well as opportunities. An important key to its success is that the people here, no matter from domestic or abroad, are keen to embrace new ideas and never hesitate to try them out. They are willing to witness every single changes of the city where the history meets the future. This comes along with the additional theme of this year's annual meeting, which is 'Innovation' in cardiac and thoracic surgery, apart from the usual theme of 'Minimally Invasive Surgery'. The Local Organizing Committee will end all our effort to achieve the goal of better communication and education in new ideas and new technologies in this field, and at the same time, to ensure every attendant a trip to Shanghai. With your attendance, and with the informative presentations from all the speakers, this year's meeting is deemed to be as judicious as the night life and the food you are going to enjoy here.

We are looking forward to your honored presence.

Yingze Li, M.D.	Eugene K. W. Sim. FRCS (Singapore)

Chairmen

Organizing Committee
3rd ISMICS Winter Workshop 2005 . Shanghai