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LOCAL residents can now access Shanghai Tower’s annex and basement, as the buidling launched trial opening today.

The 35-meter-tall five-floor annex in gold color includes restaurants, conference rooms and wedding and banquet halls.

The underground exhibition hall also opened to the public for the first time today where the building's details and other world's skyscrapers were displayed.

The 632-meter building in the Lujiazui financial hub in the Pudong New Area is the world’s second-tallest building — surpassed only by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which soars to 829.8 meters.

Along with the neighboring 492-meter Shanghai World Financial Center and the 420-meter Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai Tower is intended to cement Lujiazui’s reputation as a center for top financial companies and corporate headquarters.

Work began in 2008, and the tower, which includes four underground stories, is scheduled to fully open by the end of the year.

It will feature offices, stores, a hotel and cultural facilities.

An elevator that travels at 18 meters per second will take visitors to the 118th floor in 30 seconds. There they will take another elevator to the sightseeing platform on the 120th floor.