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The Evolution of Modern Shanghai

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During the 1950s the Communists made radical changes to the city. The 50,000-seat racetrack that had been a cultural city center was converted to the People’s Park and People’s Square. For years the city was an isolated island operating within the powerful Communist rule in China. It’s location and trade potential remained alluring to the rest of the world however.

During the 1960s, China severed alliances with Soviet Union, their largest ally. Richard Nixon used this development to the United States’ advantage by initiating relations with China, further isolating them from the Soviets. In 1971 China invited an American table tennis team to visit, developing into what would become known as “Ping Pong Diplomacy.” It set the stage for Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, an historical and unprecedented event. Limited trade resumed in the following years and international relations between the United States and China improved.

In 1990, Deng Xiaoping designated Shanghai to be China’s center for economic reform. The country pumped enormous sums of money into the city, specifically in the development of the swampy farmland east of the Huangpu River. The new Pudong District began to grow with the construction of significant structures like the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in 1995. It was a symbol of Shanghai’s emergence as an international power once more.

Since the 90s, Shanghai has been on a meteoric rise. The city’s growth shows no signs of slowing down, and it has solidified its status as an influential power in Asia and beyond. Tourism continues to increase and construction has yet to wane. All the world’s eyes are on Shanghai as the city continues to lead China’s vigorous march forward into the future.

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