In
modern times, after its opening up to the outside world,
many dramatic changes occurred in Shanghai. Shanghai's
modern population would be unable to recognise those of
the original city. Shanghai
was first opened up to the outside world by the expansion
of foreign nations abroad. Several waves of immigrants
arrived, at first domestic, then from around the world;
the homogenous world of the Qing dynasty population
was suddenly shattered. For the first time, there was
a mixture of Chinese and foreigners living together
in the city. On the heels of the Peasant War of Taiping,
more domestic immigrants converged on Shanghai, pushing
out and developing the surrounding regions to as far
away as Suzhou and Shangyang. This first tide of immigrants
was welcomed, along with the following movements that
created a densely-populated central city area.
The immigrant settlers who had arrived
from all parts of China prospered and rapidly became
full Shanghai citizens. At about the same time, foreign
immigrants in Shanghai seized the opportunities offered
by the city, pioneering enterprises, developing the
city, and linking it together to becoming its own part
of the Shanghai community.
The waves of newcomers brought to
Shanghai not only a labor pool, but also ideas regarding
how Shanghai should develop. They also brought valuable
funding and technological knowledge to the city. Hence
the city is no longer based upon a cottage industry,
but has a modern industrialized economy. This caused
several major changes to the city, most of all changing
the Shanghai people themselves. The congregating of
foreigners and Chinese from around the country created
an open and friendly society. Successful people from
around the world formed a competitive business atmosphere
that helped the city and its residents, old and new,
to forge ahead and develop the city, white at the same
time develop their own abilities and experiences. experience
and initiative.
In the 1950s, new domestic immigrants
still flocked to Shanghai, although by that time most
of the cities international residents had already departed.
Down to 1958, the domestic immigration coming to Shanghai
became increasingly limited; at the same time a considerable
number of experienced workers a professionals moved
out from the centre city to support the inland and border
areas. During the ten-year period of the "Cultural
Revolution" upheavals, many cadres and graduates
were forced to move out of the city. Their total numbers
eventually reached nearly two million, forming the peek
of the settlement of the city's surrounding countryside.
In this way were the city's surrounds developed.
In the more recent years of
reform and opening up to the outside world, numerous
foreign entrepreneurs and technicians have once again
settled in Shanghai, to join the Shanghai people of
the new era. In this period of renewed settlement, the
city has reopened its doors to the outside world to
reveal anew its many charms, and has in turn been rendered
into a truly international metropolis. We can proudly
say: "Immigration is a stimulating force in the
development of Shanghai. It activates various intrinsic
forces in our city, making the city more energetic".
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