Philippe Bracq, 41, from Canada, works with the IVOCLAR Group, supplier of comprehensive systems for dental practices and dental laboratories.

THE coming year is going to be the sixth year of my stay in Shanghai. Having witnessed all the great changes around me, I have found myself more and more attracted to this lively and vivacious city.

As for my new year wishes, my first hope is that the city's traffic situation could be improved in the coming year. It gets unbearable sometimes.

I can see from the local news that the city government is working hard to ease the problem, I hope there will be more of such efforts in the new year, then perhaps some solid changes might be seen.

My second wish is to develop my Chinese language skills a lot in the new year.

It is a shame that despite my long stay in Shanghai, my Chinese language skills remain poor. I can only speak a little Chinese, but as that sufficed to enable me to get around without much trouble, I didn't push myself hard to learn more.

In the new year, I will spend more time learning and speaking Chinese.

If I can still make a third wish, I hope that my son will do even better at his Wushu (a Chinese martial art).

Last but not the least, I wish all Shanghai people a prosperous and happy new year!

Mrs Jayasree Venkatramani, from India

I came to Shanghai two years ago to join my husband who works here. I love this city.

In the new year, I hope I get more opportunities to work part-time at local Chinese schools. I have learned Mandarin from Chinese people, so I want to teach them English in return.

I also hope that I can attend more charity activities in the new year to give a little help to the needy children here. Currently, I don't know many channels through which to do that.

Also in the new year I hope my Chinese will become more fluent. I have a Shanghainese "ayi", housemaid, at home. I hope that I can speak better Chinese so that our communication can be smoother.

In the new year, I will place my two-year-old son in a kindergarten to give him more education. I hope he will study and behave well there.

I wish all Chinese a happy new year, and I will pray for their dreams to come true.

Matsukura Hina, from Japan, Three years old

I have been staying in Shanghai for a year. My wish is to play more in the new year. And I especially want to play with Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.