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City of Shanghai
Despite having started its history as a humble fishing village on the banks of the Yangtze river, Shanghai has become a cosmopolitan city that combines tradition and modernity to constitute itself as China’s largest city and eighth in the world.
Shanghai began to take on importance as a city during the Han dynasty, when the fishing and the salt industries began to develop. In the 12th century Shanghai was already an important center for the cotton industry. In 1553 the Shanghai wall was built, the year that commemorates its birth as a city.
In the early 19th century Shanghai became China’s main industrial and commercial center thanks to its strategic position, which facilitated trade with the west. When the First Opium War ended in 1842, the British demanded that Shanghai open up to foreigners, and some areas of the city came under British, French and American “concessions”. In 1937, after the Battle of Shanghai, the city fell into the hands of the Japanese. This occupation lasted until 1945.
During World War II Shanghai became a point of refuge for many Europeans. It was the only city in the world open to Jews during that period.
With the triumph of the Communist Revolution in 1949, the majority of foreigners left the city, as did some Chinese entrepreneurs who preferred to move their businesses to Hong Kong.
However, based on the reforms that took place in the 90s, the city implemented the national strategy of opening up and developing Pudong, thanks to which the city’s economy, its social structure and appearance have experienced major changes. It should be underscored that the area’s production value has increased at a rate of 10 percent or more for over 13 consecutive years, which has attracted the attention of the whole world.
The municipal government is working to turn Shanghai into a modern, international metropolis. According to the city’s most recent development plans, by 2020 Shanghai will have essentially completed its transformation into a world-class economic, financial and commercial center.
With over 18 million inhabitants, Shanghai is a city full of life that possesses a glorious past, an exciting present and a brilliant future.
