A Young Singaporean's View Of Shanghai

By Author: LORRAINE
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80 years ago Shanghai was already crowned as the "Paris of the East" and it was as well known as cosmopolitan cities like London and Paris. Today, it is viewed as a "global business hub" and it is only a matter of time before it becomes the "New York of the East". Last month, I visited Shanghai for the first time. During my brief stay of five days and four nights, I experienced first-hand the buzzing dynamism of modern Shanghai as a metropolis.

The city has a population of nearly 17 million, which underlies its immense market potential. People from different social strata in Shanghai can take their pick from a wide range of choices based on their consumption powers -- from paying three yuan for a bowl of traditional la mean to 20 yuan for a cup of cappuccino. Sandwiched between the very rich and the very poor are the xiaokang or moderately well off families and the middle-class. Thus, businesses can find a position on the market for themselves by Links Of London Charms catering to the needs of their targeted groups of consumers. Trying to be in trend is ...
... one major driving force that urges Shanghai natives to consume. Historical memories of the International Settlements in old Shanghai 70 or 80 years ago make it much easier for Shanghai natives than people in other parts of China to join the mainstream of international consumer trends in modern metropolises.

Indeed, the many facilities developed by foreigners in Shanghai in the early 20th century have laid the foundation for modern Shanghai to rejoin the rank of global cities. First-time visitors to Shanghai will invariably be impressed first by the soaring skyscrapers that symbolize the metropolis' wealth and glamour. Across the skyline along the Bund is China's tallest building -- the 88-storey Jin Mao Tower in Pudong New Area. But this record can be held for only another 2 years. It is said that by then the Global Financial Center project, a 94-storey skyscraper by Japanese investors, will be completed. Shanghai features a unique mix of East and West as well as new and old in the choice for wining, dining and merry-making. While the choices are increasingly global, consumer goods and services are Links Of London Jewelry cheaper than those in ordinary large cities. Not surprisingly, domestic and overseas tourists recognize it at once as a shoppers' paradise as they arrive in Shanghai for the first time.

A vast variety of merchandise in a tourist paradise alone may not be enough to lure the tourists to come back, but the meticulous and excellent service will. The local people you see on the streets will remind you of the congestion and apathy typical of a large city. Yet, stepping into any fast-food restaurant in Shanghai, you will be greeted with warm and friendly services from young waiters and waitresses, which urges you to resituate the immense vitality of the city. Just raise your hand and, no matter how busy a waiter or waitress is, you will be attended with a reply, "Right away!" They are skilled and agile in their work, and clear and explicit in their talking. I'm only talking about ordinary service personnel. This is a good indication of how competitive the young people in Shanghai are.

The tour guide who shows us around speaks fairly good English. He came from Xiamen and has just graduated from a Shanghai university. "It's easy to find a job in Shanghai, but hard to get a job that one is happy with." he said.

I told him, "It's not easy now for college graduates in Singapore to find a job. Jobs select people and Singaporeans are choosier in job hunting. And the worst thing is that actually there aren't that many jobs available on the market."

He said with a smile, "At least the people in Shanghai don't have to worry about that." I did not come into contact with many young people in Shanghai during my trip, but those I've met at fast-food restaurants and cafes are full of drive, highly efficient, smart and bright. Young Singaporeans seem to lack the astuteness Links Of London Bracelets and dynamism that they possess. It is true that a people's character is to a great extent, shaped by the environment they live in. But if we rest on our laurels, we risk losing the city's vitality. A city with little vigor and life will not be able to attract tourists, let alone retain its talents.