Mariah Carey said she was surprised by the warm welcome she received in Shanghai, where she's to perform at a government sponsored concert, making her one of the biggest international acts ever to appear on stage here.

"I didn't know what to expect," Carey said at a news conference Monday, a day after arriving at Shanghai's Pudong International airport, where about 100 Chinese admirers and a phalanx of cameramen greeted her. "It was really, really nice to see all the fans."

The 33-year-old pop star is to perform Wednesday and Friday at Shanghai's Hongkou soccer stadium as part of Shanghai's international arts festival before continuing to a concert in the Philippines.

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