Life in Shanghai

Located at the estuary of the Yangtze River in eastern China and facing the Pacific Ocean, Shanghai sprawls across an area of over 6,340.5 square kilometers with a population of 24.2378 million in 2018.

Shanghai is China’s most thriving economic center, with GDP per capita climbing to US$20,398 by the end of 2018. Shanghai is a pioneer in China’s reform and opening- up, as well as innovation. A total of 670 multinational enterprises have set up regional headquarters in the city, and 441 foreign-invested R&D centers have also been established here. Shanghai is one of the world’s financial centers with its financial markets generating a total transaction volume of 1,645.78 trillion yuan and trading volumes of several products ranked top among global markets. An RMB products center, which matches the currency’s international status, has taken form in the city.

Shanghai is an important shipping center, handling 730.4794 million tons of goods in 2018. On top of that, its international container volume reached 42.0102 million TEUs, the highest in the world for nine straight years. When it comes to the number of cruise ship passengers, the city ranked fourth in the world. Some 771,600 flights were processed at ShanghaiPudong and Hongqiao international airports, reaching 117.6343 million inbound and outbound trips.

Shanghai is also a world-renowned tourism destination and an international cultural exchange center where a large number of cultural activities are organized. International tourists journeyed here 8.93 million times in 2018. The city boasts a rich and profound culture with 131 museums and 23 public libraries. It also held 175 international and domestic sporting events during the year.

Shanghai strives to become a technology innovation center. To achieve that goal, Shanghai spent heavily on R&D around 4% of its GDP. The Zhangjiang Comprehensive National Science Center plays a key role in China’s continued technological innovation. Large-scale scientific equipment, such as the soft X-ray free-electron laser and super intense ultrafast lasers, has been built. In total, 223 tech companies were listed on the Technology and Innovation Board at the Shanghai Equity Exchange.

Following on from the successes reaped as the host city of 2010 World Expo, Shanghai continues to live up to the motto “Better City, Better Life.” It remains committed to four target areas – service, manufacturing, shopping and culture. The pilot free trade zone will be expanded and a high-tech board will be set up at the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Shanghai hostedthe 2nd China International Import Expo in 2019.

By 2035, Shanghai aims to become an excellent global city, a modern metropolis, an economic, financial, trade, shipping and technology innovation center, and a place that is not only innovative and humanistic, but also eco-friendly.

Source:Shanghai Basic Facts 2019