ABSTRACT
Among the big cities in China, Shanghai is always a topical research area because of its glorious history, its strategic location and the leading role it plays in China. Shanghai’s prime strength centers on its location. Situated at the connection node of the Yangtze River and China’s coastline, the city provides a gateway to a market of some 400 million people (Zhao and Zhang 1998) and, concurrently, an outlet for their produce to the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Its development history can be traced back to 1842 when it became a treaty port and was opened to the outside world. Through providing the window between central China and the outside world, Shanghai developed rapidly from a small village into one of the world metropoli. By the 1930s, Shanghai was the premier center of trade, transport and industrial venture, and also a financial center or banker both internationally and domestically.
