 Profile of ShangHai
Shanghai is situated at 31'14' north latitude and 121'29' east longitude. Bordering on Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces on the west, Shanghai is washed by the East China Sea on the east and Hangzhou Bay on the south. North of the city, the Yangtze River pours into the East China Sea. It also assumes the central location along China's coastal line. Thanks to its advantageous geographic location, Shanghai has today become an excellent sea and river port, boasting easy accesses to a vast hinterland.
Since 2000, with the constant aim of releasing“four centers”and“four leads,”the city has carried out the policy of developing in a scientific way and the strategy of revitalizing the city by relying on advancement of science and education to enhance the city’s comprehensive competitiveness. It has opened its door wider to the outside world and has sped up the reforms of its technological and governmental systems. As a result, the city has been successful in keeping its economy on a track of constant, fast and healthy growth. Since 1992, the city has maintained a double-digit GDP growth rate for 14 consecutive years. In 2005, its GDP reached 914.395 billion yuan, 75.3% higher than 2000 in terms of comparable prices, representing an annual average growth of 11.9%.
The city has made breakthroughs in the construction of hub-oriented, functional and networked infrastructures. For the 2001-2005 period, Shanghai invested a total of more than 325.721 billion yuan in its urban construction projects, representing an average annual growth of 12.6% and accounting for 24.6% of the total investment in the fixed assets in the same period. The progress in the city’s infrastructure network has contributed greatly to further improving its investment environment, opening further to the outside world and enhance its comprehensive function.
Shanghai is a city with a long cultural history. By the end of 2005, there were cultural and historical sites listed under the state protection and under the city protection. In addition, there were city-listed memorial sites and protected locations. So far, the city has well preserved a number of relic sites and gardens dating back to the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The 1,000-year-old Longhua Pagoda, the Jing’an Temple, which was built during the Three-Kingdom Period, and the Jade Buddha Temple are frequented by visitors both from home and abroad. In addition, there are Yuyuan Garden in downtown, the Confucius Temple in Jiading, and the Square Pagoda and Zuibai Pond in Songjiang. Yuyuan Garden Construction of Yuyuan Garden started in 1559. Its layout features the garden styles of the southern part of the country during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Enjoying a lasting reputation as "Wooded Hill in City," the garden is very well preserved. Carved dragons wind across atop the walls which divide the garden into different scenes. The pavilions, ponds, man-made stone formations have formed 48 scenic spots in this small garden.
 
Since 1990, Shanghai has built a batch of landmark architectures that are known both at home and abroad. These buildings have become new tourist scenes in the city, reflecting its new appearances. They include the Bund -- the symbol of Shanghai, the People's Square which is known as a“city green lung,”the Orient Pearl Broadcasting and Television Tower, Jin Mao Tower, the Pedestrian Mall of Nanjing Road, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theater and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.
Facing both opportunities and challenges in the 21st century, Shanghai has already set its middle- and long-term development goals: To build the city into one of the economic, finance, trade and transport centers in the world and a socialist modern international metropolis and by 2020.
|
|
|
Index