Shanghai was the largest and most prosperous city in the Far East during the 1930s, and has remained the most developed city in China. In the past 20 years Shanghai has again became an attractive city for tourists worldwide.

Shanghai is a fascinating mix of East and West. It has historic shikumen houses that blend the styles of Chinese houses with European design flair, and it has one of the richest collections of Art Deco buildings in the world. As there were so many concessions (designated districts) to Western powers during the turn of the 20th century, at times the city has a cosmopolitan feel. From classic Parisian style, to Tudor style buildings that give a German flair, while the 1930s buildings put you in New York or Chicago.

In the beginning of the 1990s, the Shanghai government launched a series of new strategies to attract foreign investments. The biggest move was to open up Pudong, once a rural area of Shanghai. The strategies succeeded, and now Pudong has become the financial district of Shanghai, with numerous skyscrapers.

Today Shanghai's goal is to develop into a world-class financial and economic center of China, and even Asia. In achieving this goal, Shanghai faces competition from Hong Kong, which has the advantage of a stronger legal system and greater banking and service expertise. Shanghai has stronger links to the Chinese interior and to the central government in addition to a stronger manufacturing and technology base. Since the handover of Hong Kong to the PRC, Shanghai has increased its role in finance, banking, and as a major destination for corporate headquarters, fueling demand for a highly educated and westernized workforce.

Shanghai is one of the least polluted major cities in China, but that's only because of the sorry state of environmental protection in China in general and its air quality can still be quite poor. Individuals with asthma or respiratory issues should be prepared when visiting Shanghai as well as other Chinese cities.