Shanghai is situated at 31 14’ north latitude and 121 29’ east longtitude. Bordering Jiangshu and Zhejiang province on the west, Shanghai is washed by the East China Sea on the east and Hangzhou Bay on the south. North of city, the Yangtze River pours into the East China Sea. It also assumes the central location along China’s costal line. Thanks to its advantageous geographic location, Shanghai has now become an excellent sea and river port, boasting easy accesses to a vast hinterland.

The city covers an area of 6,340.5 square kilometres. Originated from the Taihu lake, the most famous river in Shanghai, the 113-kilometre-long Huangpu River winds through the downtown area of the city. With its favorable width and depth, the Huangpu River is the main waterway in the Shanghai area.

By the end of 1999, Shanghai had a population of 13.1 million, representing 1.1% of the China,s total. In 1999, Shanghai’s GDP reached 350 billion yuan. The average annual growth rate hit 9.4% during the 1979-1999 period. The city’s average per capita GDP reached 26,000 yuan. Shanghai has also achieved sustained rapid increase in its financial income. Industry has long been the mainstay of Shanghai’s economy. The city boasts a complete industrial system with high project supporting capacity. It’s industrial technology leads the country. Since the beginning of 1990s, Shanghai’s industry has undergone strategy restruction The principle is to “enhance the pillar industries, upgrade the traditional industries and expand high new technologies.” They are: the auto industry, the electronic and telecommunications equipment industry, the power station equipment and parts manufacturing industry and home electric appliances industry.

Shanghai has already established a financial market system where the state specialized banks keep a dominant position and many other types of financial institutions are thriving in coexistence. Such a system has become a new powerhouse for the local economic advancement. The Shanghai Stock Exchange, the largest securities trading center in China, has admitted 550 member firms and has 3,330 seats in its trading hall. In 1999, the city’s transaction volume of securities reached 3,200 billion yuan.Shanghai reports brisk foreign exchange trading business. By the end of 1999, the center’s transaction volume had amounted to 280 billion US dollars.

Shanghai has a convenient transportation network leading to other parts of the country. Shanghai plays an essential role in China’s railway industry. In 1999, the Shanghai railway system handled a total freight of 60 million tons and transported 30 million passengers.

Shanghai is the largest port in China. In 1999, the port handled 170 million tons of cargo, ranking the 9th in the world. Shanghai now has operated shipping routes to more than 400 ports in 160 countries and regions. Shanghai Hongqiao international Airport and Pudong international Airport are two of the greatest airports in China and the hub of civil aviation in East China. On an average day, the two airports handle more than 300 flights. In 1999, 7 million passengers passed through the two airports. At present, Shanghai has opened air routes to 35 cities in 18 countries and regions in other parts of the world.

Shanghai has a strong and convenient highway network. In 1999, the city had about 430,000 civilian automobiles and its highway network transported 18 million passengers and 265 million tons of freight. The city’s local traffic network keeps improving and advanced traffic control means have been applied. By the end of 1999, Shanghai had 1200 bus lines, transporting a total of 2,400million people annually. Besides, the city has a taxi fleet of 41,000 vehicles.

As early as in 1995, Shanghai successfully adopted an eight-digit format for local telephone numbers, the first on Chinese mainland. Today, Shanghai’s IDD service reaches 31 countries and regions and its international express mail service goes to 96 countries and regions in the world.

In 1999, Shanghai’s 24 Institutes of higher learning and 2 technical secondary schools enrolled 3,000 foreign students for more than one year study, including 2,200 students at their own expense. Moreover, there were 2,305 students admitted in short courses. The foreign students, coming from 101 countries and regions, distributed in 99 majors, comprise 341 postgraduates, for MA or above as well as advanced learning.

International Exchanges

International exchange and co-operation in education has played an irreplaceable role in Shanghai’s economic and social development. Reform and opening up has propelled the city’s international exchange in education. In 1999, Shanghai universities sent a total of 1,100 students to study abroad. Meanwhile, the city received 3,000 foreign students to study in local universities. Sino-foreign join-venture teaching programs reached 70. The city has now 12 schools for expatriate children. Some 420 foreign experts and teachers were working in various schools in Shanghai. The year also saw 59 international education seminars be convened in the city. A new trend in the international education exchange in 1999 was short-term academic visits by middle school students.

Sending Students Abroad

Between 1977 and 1988, Shanghai universities sent an accumulated 5,000 students to study abroad. Of the students, 2,000 have returned to China after finishing their study programs and become a leading force in science and research in the country.

The city adopts the policy of “support of studying abroad and encouragement of coming back” in the issue of studying abroad. In 1999, the city processed applications of 2,100 university and college graduates to study abroad.

Short-term academic visits by middle and high students have become popular in 1990s. More than 100 middle school students from Shanghai joined in programs, including summer camp, language class in foreign countries and regions in 1999.

Foreign Students Studying in Shanghai

In the 1990s, the city recorded a fast growth in receiving foreign students. In 1999, 24 universities and colleges in Shanghai received a combined 3,000 foreign students in study programs for at least one year. Of the foreign students, 2,200 were self-funded, making up 80 percent of the total; 350 students were on Master degree programs or advanced research projects, making up 15 percent. Another 2,305 foreign students from 101 countries came to the city for short-term study.

According to the provisions of Ministry of Education, local universities authorized to process Chinese government scholarships all have established procedures to process the scholarships to foreign students.

Joint-venture Schools

Co-operation with foreign education resources started in Shanghai in 1992. This new development in education affairs has become a new channel to introduce foreign education resources to the city. Up to 1999, more than 70 foreign-backed teaching programs had been opened in the city. These programs deal with high school, and advanced learning.

The opening of more foreign business offices and foreign-funded enterprises in Shanghai has resulted in the increase in expatriate families in the city. By 1999, 12 schools for expatriate children were open and enrolled 2,900 expatriate children.

Foreign Experts and Teachers

Since 1990s, the number of foreign education experts and teachers increased fast. Between 1990 and 1995, an accumulated 993 foreign experts and teachers worked in Shanghai’s schools on long-term contracts whiles 4,539 foreign scholars work on short-term contracts. In 1999, Shanghai had 420 foreign experts and teachers working on long-term contracts in local schools while 1,200 foreign scholars came to local schools for short-term work. The work of foreign experts and teachers has produced a great benefit to the city’s economic and social development.

International Seminars

International seminars created opportunities for exchange between Chinese and foreign scholars. The seminars will also bring the latest research development and information and help update education and research.

Incomplete statistics show that Shanghai Jiaotong University, Fudan University, Tongji University and other schools hosted a combined more than 100 international seminars, assembling a total of more than 8,000 foreign and 2,000 Chinese scholars. During the 1990s, international seminars in Shanghai involved an increasingly high level scholars and have a growing influence.