A Look Into The Region

The city of Shanghai, China's second largest with an estimated 13m inhabitants, is situated on the coast of the East China Sea due west of the southern tip of Japan. Our cover looks across the Huangpu River to the "Pudong" section of the city where one can only marvel at the rapid expansion and vibrancy of the area. In fact, throughout this sprawling metropolis, an eclectic mix of modern, 19th-century European and Japanese architecture fascinates visitors. Shanghai, the center of European trade in China from 1842-1949, has developed more recently into an important base in China's industry, foreign trade, science and technology, as well as a center for finance, culture and education. The 5440-km long Chang Jiang (Yangtze) River joins the Huangpu in the city and serves as the chief commercial highway in the country. Shanghai will surely play a more significant role in China, and Asia, as progress continues, and the region advances into the 21st Century.