Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai is China's largest city. Shanghai's development in the past few decades has made it one of China's most important economic, commercial, financial and communications centres. Shanghai has the highest GDP per capita of any Chinese region. With a population of only 1.3% of the national total and a land area of 0.1%, Shanghai contributes 5.3% of the nation's GDP and 8% of the nation's total industrial output. It has recently become the world's busiest port.
Administrative type | Municipality |
Area | 6,340.5 km² (0.1% of China's total area) - similar to Aberdeenshire. |
Population (2004) | 17.4 million (25th) 1 - almost four times Scotland's population. |
GDP (2004) - per capita | US $90.2 billion (7th) - almost two thirds of Scotland's GDP. US $6693 (1st) - similar to Poland. |
Consumption per capita (2004) | US $2266 (1st) |
Foreign Direct Investment (2003) | US $5.47 billion (4th) |
Exports Imports | US $69.7 (11.8% of China's total exports) US $87.1 (15.5% of China's total imports) |
Number of Universities (2004) Number of higher education graduates (2004) | 58 89,000 |
Source: China Statistical Yearbook 2005 | 1 Regional rankings within China, 1st = highest, 31st = lowest |
Scottish Links
Government Links
There is a British Consulate in Shanghai and a British Council office.
Commercial Links
SDI's Asia-Pacific regional office is located in Shanghai.
The China Britain Business Council have an office in Shanghai.
Scottish companies with a presence in Shanghai include:
- Edrington Group
- RBS
- Shanghai Clyde Bergmann
- Frank Sammeroff
- IDC Cleanroom
- Martin Currie
- NABS
- Prosper Engineering
- Scottish and New Castle
- Weir Group Shanghai
- Whyte and Mackie
Educational/Science Links
Ardrossan Academy have a link with Qingpu First High School.
Lasswade High school from Bonnyrigg have a link with Tian Lin No. 3 middle school.
Elmwood College from Fife have a partnership agreement with Tongji University.
Glasgow University and Edinburgh University have a formal link with Fudan University.
Napier University have research collaborations with Shanghai Normal University
The University of Stirling have an agreement with Jiaotong and Shanghai Univeristy where students spend the first 2 years of a degree in China and the final two in Stirling.
Heriot Watt University have an agreement in collaborative teaching with Shanghai University of Finance and Management.
The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the Shanghai East Century School are developing in partnership a Specialist Foundation Music School.
Cultural/Sports Links
The National Galleries of Scotland hope to stage an exhibition in Shanghai
The National Museums of Scotland are in contact with Shanghai Museum
Elmwood College have a formal partnership agreement with Yin Tao Golf Club in Shanghai.
The Executive is developing its database of Scottish links with each of China's regions. Do you know of any Sino-Scottish regional link that we have not included above or that is in need of updating? If so, please let us know by completing the regional links form.