Shanghai – living in the past, the present and the future

Continuing the “FT View from” series, supported by HSBC Expat, this week we take a look at expat life in Shanghai - a city that is as great for business as it is for socialising.

Source: Yoshinari Yoshikawa

Providing the perfect mix of the past, the present and the future, Shanghai has become home to thousands of expats in search of a new life. The booming Chinese economy means that it is a great place to do business and a city where creativity can flourish without being dampened by financial worries.

Journalist Josh Noble, describes Shanghai wonderfully saying:“Wandering through the back alleys and side streets of Shanghai’s former French Concession, it is easy to forget that one is in China. Along the tree-lined boulevards sit wine bars, coffee shops, and small designer boutiques.”

Shanghai also fares well for those bringing up a family abroad. Expats living in Shanghai feel that it is an extremely safe place to live and for kids to grow up. In our own Expat Explorer 2011 findings, China ranked 5^th for raising children abroad. Expats in China are slightly more likely (22% vs 21% average) to have seen a reduction in the cost of raising children, and at the same time are more likely to have seen an improvement in the quality of childcare (56% vs 48% average).

There is also a feeling that there are many fewer social obstacles when meeting people and making friends. From this audio slideshow, Where China bends to meet the world, it is clear how much expats enjoy life in Shanghai.

We’d love to hear about your experiences – have you lived in this incredible city? How did you find it?