in 2001 a Chinese labourer while in conversation with friends took a long hard look at the tower and knew he could climb it. To his friend's surprise he embarked on his mission immediately before he was arrested at the top, hands bleeding, and released a few hours later to the press. IN his story he said he wanted to make a statement for the life of migrants in Shanghai...
So far 5 people have now climbed the building including the French Spiderman. The most recent was in 2007, 7 months after Alain Robert, in the early hours of the morning. Nowadays the climbers are jailed for a week for public disorder offences (it usually causes evacuation at the base, and dangerous rescue efforts).
latest climb:
Spiderman
Basically the tower is one big climbing frame or ladder due to the steel struts. Robert commented his 6 year old could climb it.