Shanghai 2016-2040

[Jlaw]

Thanks for tagging me on this thread. I love my city!

I name the following picture "the Heart of Shanghai"
View attachment 332291

holy shit put our highway to shame in Canada

 

[ahojunk]

holy shit put our highway to shame in Canada

.
Now, you are making me feel the same way about Oz.

Shanghai is without doubt a very beautiful city, during the day and also at night.

Not too many other city is able to match Shanghai.

 

[ahojunk]

Shanghai pilots community banks to boost innovation
2016-10-18 09:55 | Xinhua | Editor: Mo Hong'e

East China's business hub Shanghai will explore setting up community banks and international funds to encourage innovation and startups, said a senior city official Monday.

The city's Yangpu District will explore: the establishment of community banks devoted to small and medium-sized tech firms; the cluster development of early-stage startup investment funds; and international innovation acquisition funds via cooperation with foreign investors, said Xie Jiangang, head of the district.

The district will choose banks and financial institutions to pilot the integration of equity and debt financing services for corporate innovation, he said.

Yangpu will also strive to take the lead in building an intellectual property rights credit system, and create a new environment for low-cost startups with reforms and policies, said the official.

Yangpu was one of 28 demonstration bases listed by the State Council in May to support entrepreneurship and innovation. The list includes: 17 regional bases, such as Haidian District in Beijing and Yangpu in Shanghai; four based on university and research institutes; and seven based on firms such as home appliance maker Haier.

 

[ahojunk]

Shanghai is HQ for another 33 MNCs
2016-12-08 09:18 | Shanghai Daily | Editor: Huang Mingrui

Another 33 multinational companies, including SAP, CapitaLand and Shui On, were awarded certificates yesterday for setting up their regional headquarters in Shanghai.

Shanghai is home to the regional headquarters of 573 MNCs at the end of October.

The city also boasts 408 foreign-invested research and development centers.

Jin Xingming, deputy secretary-general of the city government, said Shanghai will continue to improve the environment for foreign investment.

"The city has benefited a lot from the headquarters economy," Jin said. "Foreign investment is an important force to drive Shanghai's growth, especially when the city is carrying out its innovation-driven development initiative."

The city is the largest base for foreign-invested corporations in China, according to Jin.

In 2014, Shanghai allowed more MNCs, whose regional headquarters are not in the city, to benefit from policies on visa, residence permit and foreign expert certificate if their subsidiaries in the city are involved in strategy making, asset management, sourcing, sales, logistics, training, and research and development.

 

[beijingwalker]

My personal guess is that Beijing will overtake Shanghai's GDP in a few years time, it's already very close and Beijing's per captia income had already overtook Shanghai's a couple of years ago.

2015 GDP per capita (based on mid-year population)[1]
PPP: abbreviation of purchasing power parity;
Nominal:CNY 6.2284 per US dollar; PPP: CNY 3.5268 per int'l. dollar
(based on IMF WEO April 2016)[2]
provinces rank CNY Nominal
(US$) PPP
(Int'l.$) Level of
national GDP
per capita (%) Reference index
GDP
(in millions) Mid-year
population
(in thousands)
MainlandChina 49,992 8,027 14,175 100 68,550,580 1,371,220
Tianjin 1 107,960 17,334 30,611 219 1,653,819 15,319
Beijing 2 106,284 17,064 30,136 215 2,296,859 21,611
Shanghai 3 103,141 16,560 29,245 209 2,496,499 24,205
Jiangsu 4 87,995 14,128 24,950 178 7,011,638 79,682
Zhejiang 5 77,644 12,466 22,015 157 4,288,649 55,235

 

[ahojunk]

Shanghai tops smart city league
2016-12-14 09:47 | Shanghai Daily | Editor: Huang Mingrui

Shanghai's smart city development index rose about 10 percent in 2016, thanks to wide coverage of high-speed broadband and 4G networks, various intelligent applications and improved IT infrastructure, said the city's top industry regulator.

Shanghai's smart city index reached 97.7 in 2016, the best performance by a Chinese city. The index comprises the development level of network coverage, applications and infrastructure development.

Latest technologies have been used in various industries and are tightly connecting to people's daily lives.

Two examples are the remote controlled water quality inspection of Suzhou Creek and more advanced and precise figures for air quality of the Yangtze River Delta.

"After several years' construction and development, Shanghai becomes a real smart city for better daily life and innovation-driven economy transformation," said Shao Zhiqing, vice director of the Shanghai Commission of Economy and Information Technology.

By the end of 2015, fiber optic broadband covered 9.1 million families with an average download speed of 11.3 megabits per second, ranking Shanghai No. 1 among Chinese cities.

The city has 500 smart parking lots with automatic management and 400 hospitals allowing citizens to make appointments for doctors by phone.

Xuhui, Changning and Huangpu districts are the top three regions of advanced smart city development levels in the city, the commission said.

Meanwhile, Shanghai has invested several hundred of million yuan annually to support industrial Internet applications, which helps traditional companies to be able to undergo business transformation and related reforms covering the steel, manufacturing and retail industries.

 

[Shotgunner51]

Hong Kong To Remain World's Top IPO Market, Shanghai Jumps To Second Place
Jillian YueDecember 14, 2016 — 15:31 HKT

Hong Kong is expected to maintain its top position globally in terms of total funds raised from initial public offerings, while Shanghai will jump to second place in 2016, according to a new report issued by KPMG.

Hong Kong is estimated to see companies raising funds totaling HK$195 billion (US$25 billion) from IPOs this year, securing its number one position for a second consecutive year. IPO proceeds, however, will register a three-year low and decline 26% from HK$263 billion (US$33.9 billion) in 2015.

Shanghai will surpass New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ and London Stock Exchange to become the second largest IPO market, witnessing companies raising HK$95 billion (US$12.3 billion) in total via IPOs this year.

The New York Stock Exchange is a close third, with HK$94 billion (US$12 billion) in total IPO proceeds, followed by Toronto Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange. NASDAQ has dropped out of the top five markets this year.

"We have seen continued strong momentum in Shanghai and Shenzhen in the second half of this year, driven by accelerated IPO approvals and listings of several regional commercial banks," said Charles Wan, Head of the Capital Markets Development Group, Northern China, KPMG China.​

"The financial services sector helped to boost the Shanghai IPO market – seven regional commercial banks completed their listings this year and raised RMB28.7 billion. This sector will continue to be a key growth driver, with nine additional IPO applications in the pipeline from regional commercial banks," he added.​

Similarly, the decline of total IPO proceeds in Hong Kong is primarily due to a decrease in the number of sizable deals, those raising over HK$5 billion or more. Only ten companies raised more than HK$5 billion in 2016, in contrast to 15 in 2015.

The financial services sector continues to be the major contributor in Hong Kong, in terms of funds raised in 2016, accounting for nearly 70% of total funds raised, up 54% from a year earlier. Nine out of the top ten IPOs are financial services organizations.

For 2017, KPMG forecasts 120 companies will raise HK$200 billion (US$25.8 billion) in Hong Kong.

In mainland China, around 700 companies are queuing to list. An acceleration of IPO approvals and the gradual establishment of multi-tiered capital markets are expected to help speed up the process.


https://www.chinamoneynetwork.com/2...top-ipo-market-shanghai-jumps-to-second-place

 

[ahojunk]

Night scenery of Shanghai on New Year's eve
2017-01-01 10:07 | Xinhua | Editor:Huang Mingrui

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 31, 2016 shows the night scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 31, 2016 shows the night scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 31, 2016 shows the night scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 31, 2016 shows the night scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 31, 2016 shows the night scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

 

[TaiShang]

HK, Shanghai maintain edge
China Daily, January 4, 2017

Despite concerns over the economic slowdown in China, two of the country's cities have won spots in a ranking of the world's top 10 competitive cities.

This is the finding from the China Institute of City Competitiveness in Hong Kong, a think tank whose annual survey ranks Shanghai at seventh place in 2016, with Hong Kong at ninth.

The top three cities are New York, followed by Tokyo and London. Singapore ranked sixth, taking the number of Asian entrants in the top 10 to five.

Over the past few years, Shanghai has remained on a fast track with annual growth as high as 7 percent, while Hong Kong managed to maintain a 2 percent growth annually, said Chairman Gui Qiangfang.

"As a world-renowned financial hub, Hong Kong itself still retains its competitive edge," Gui noted.

Wei Dazhi, an economist at Shenzhen University, said Hong Kong still has great economic potential. But social conflict would definitely take its toll on the city's competitiveness.

"All in all, fears that Hong Kong is losing its edge to mainland and regional rivals never come as an empty threat. The alarm has already been sounded regarding the territory's competitiveness," said Wei.

***

@Chinese-Dragon , @grey boy 2 , @AndrewJin

Hong Kong, China, alive and kicking

 

[Shotgunner51]

Most people's impression about Shanghai is that we are a financial center filled with skyscrapers and modern infra, that we only have high-end services like banking, accounting/auditing, fund management, real estate, internet, logistics, etc. Though can't be compared with Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Beijing and several other major industrial regions, we do have some industries:

• Medical Equipment: 联影医疗 (United Imaging), 微创医疗 (Microport)
  
• Biotech and Pharma: 再鼎医药 (Zai Laboratory), 华领医药 (Hua Medicine)，药明康德，上药信谊 (Sine Pharma)，复星医药 (Foshun Pharma)
  
• Steel, Metallurgical and Materials: 宝钢 (Baosteel)，上海石化 (Shanghai Petrochemical)
  
• Semiconductor： 中芯国际 (SMIC), 展讯通信 (Spreadtrum), 华虹 (Huahong), 先进 (ASMC), 中微 (AMEC), 晶晨, 兆芯, 澜起 (Montage Tech), 复旦微电子 (Fudan Micro)
  
• Compressor: 海立 (Highly)
  
• UAV and Aviation Electronics: 昊翔, 联芯科技 (Leadcore Tech), 翰动浩翔 (Hi-Shots)
  
• AMOLED: 和辉 (Everdisplay)
  
• IOT Sensor: 矽睿 (QST Corp)
  
• Industrial Robotics: 沃迪 (Triowin), 新时达 (Step Electric), 微松 (Micson), 新松国际总部 (Siasun Int'l HQ)
  
• Aviation: 商飞 (COMAC)
  
• Marine Equipment: 振华 (ZPMC), 美钻, 江南 (JN Shipyard), 沪东中华 (Hudong-Zhonghua)
  
• Nuclear, Power & Electromechanical Industry: 上海电气 (Shanghai Electric)
  
• Automobile: 上汽 (SAC)
  
• Software: 宝信软件 (Baosight), 万达信息
• Cloud IDC: 网宿科技 (ChinaNetCenter), 仪电信息 (INESA), UCloud

Just Baosteel alone employs more than 124,000 staff (that's even excluding associated/related companies) and occupies one whole admin district of land in the north. ZPMC alone dominates 80% of global market share. Other than these gigantic corps, there are numerous small-medium industrial enterprises scattered across industrial parks in various corners of Shanghai. For a financial center, we are quite industrial.

 

[ahojunk]

PwC sees rising IPOs in Shanghai and Shenzhen
2017-01-04 08:51 | China Daily | Editor: Feng Shuang

The number of initial public offerings on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets is expected to increase rapidly in the current year－and their total value will grow substantially－after 227 took place in 2016, a 3.7 percent rise from the year earlier, according to accounting and auditing firm PwC.

The firm said that the value of IPOs in 2016 fell by 5.2 percent to 150.4 billion yuan ($21.6 billion).

Data released by PwC on Tuesday show that 103 IPOs were completed on the main board of Shanghai Stock Exchange with a value of 101.9 billion yuan in 2016－and the number of IPOs completed on Shenzhen SME Board was 46 with a value of 22.7 billion yuan.

PwC said there has been a spurt in the number of IPOs since August, as the China Securities Regulatory Commission moved to accelerate the pace of listings.

"Due to global instability and IPO suspension and resumption in 2015, the A-share market was still in recovery mode in the first half of 2016, resulting in a moderate increase in IPOs from a low point," said Frank Lyn, a senior partner and the head of markets at PwC.

"Generally speaking, the second half of 2016 saw a stable market operation and accelerated IPO verification, which are expected to be sustained," he said.

Based on the figures in the second half of last year, Lyn forecast that the number of companies to complete IPOs on both stock markets would reach 320 to 350 in 2017 and the size of deals would hit 220 to 250 billion yuan.

The launch of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect will also attract international investors to the A-share market and increase their knowledge of the Chinese market and companies, said Wilson Chow, assurance partner at PwC China.

The sectors that dominated the number of IPOs on the main Shanghai and Shenzhen boards in 2016 were the retail, consumer goods and services, IT and telecommunications, as well as the financial service sectors.

PwC said also of note is the number of city and rural commercial banks lining up for IPOs, after the A-share market reopened its doors to commercial lenders after a regulatory halt since 2010.

Last year, Bank of Shanghai Co Ltd raised 10.7 billion yuan from its IPO, ranking first among its peers, followed by Bank of Jiangsu Co Ltd with 7.2 billion yuan.

The number of companies listed on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations market, also known as China's "New Third Board", experienced a rapid growth from 356 at the end of 2013 to 10,163 as of 2016, raising 116.5 billion yuan last year, according to PwC.

"By giving strong support to the New Third Board, the government is paving the way for IPO registration system reform," said Jean Sun, assurance partner of PwC China.

 

[Shotgunner51]

Shanghai Flirts with Small Luxury Condos
Compact premium homes could be on their way, but a real market shift could take a while
By CELINE LI Originally published on January 08, 2017|Mansion Global|

Located at the heart of downtown Shanghai Huangpu District, Fuxing Royale offers 600 luxury condos, 15% of which are rare small units around 90-square-meters. Savills Real Estate​

More compact high-end abodes, albeit still scarce, are captivating Shanghai’s luxury home hunters, who are usually accustomed to a market filled with spacious residences.

Often situated in hip, downtown neighborhoods, these under-200-square-meter homes could attract young buyers, according to Savills China who represents several Shanghai luxury residential properties.

Among the properties in its portfolio is the Fuxing Royale, an apartment compound in downtown Shanghai’s Huangpu District that will complete construction in the second half of 2017 with around 90 units less than 990 square feet. The 600-apartment property nearly sold out all of its first batch of smaller one- and two-bedroom units within its first week on the market back in June 2015.

According to some reports, Shanghai’s luxury homes are shrinking in size across the board. A Shanghai-based real estate research center, E-house China R&D Institute, found that the average size of Shanghai luxury homes sold in the second quarter of 2016 was 172 square meters (around 1,800 square feet), a decrease of almost 11% compared to the year before. The institute reported 193 square meters (around 2,000 square feet) as the average size of Shanghai luxury homes sold in the second quarter of 2015.

Fuxing Royale sold out its popular smaller units more than a year before the project’s completion scheduled for the second half of 2017. Savills Real Estate ​

But many experts point to how difficult it is to define “luxury” in Shanghai. That’s because prices are rolling up faster than the Shanghainese can keep up with resetting their market measurements.

Shanghai has seen such an influx of substantial housing deals that 2015 was nicknamed “Year One of Shanghai Luxury Real Estate.” Hong Kong-based Centaline Property Agency reported that in the first half of 2016, 1,597 homes over CNY 20 million (US$2.88 million) were sold in Shanghai.

Economist Nie Riming, a researcher and associate president at the Shanghai Institute of Finance and Law, said the skyrocketing market had elevated many smaller, modest apartments into the luxury price bracket, which may have resulted in the appearance of shrinking luxury home sizes.

“Some developments that were not considered as luxury in a traditional sense are now worth over CNY 15 million (US$2.18 million),” said Mr. Nie.

A Changing Market in Shanghai

But things may change soon.

In fact, citywide mortgage rules implemented in March and November strive to calm the overheated market. Under the new rules, second-home buyers with previous mortgages must make a down payment of either 50% or 70%, a new reality that Mr. Nie believes could hurt luxury sales.

“There are a lot of rich people in China. But few have that much cash on hand for real estate,” Mr. Nie said. “Such strict mortgage policies will strike down market demand.”

Policy makers have already seen desirable results in terms of stabilizing the market price. In November, Shanghai’s 19-month consecutive price increase came to a halt. Average November price of newly-built open-market residences dropped by 0.1% compared to October, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China.

“The new policies will have an impact on the premium housing market,” said Shirley Tang, senior director of Savills Shanghai Residential Sales.

Ms. Tang added that “New regulations restrain some families that otherwise would have been able to upgrade their homes,” making their dream homes unobtainable.

Ms. Tang, who oversees the sales of several Shanghai high-end developments, including the downtown Fuxing Royale, said that the smaller units there is a special case, not necessarily a sign of things to come.

“90-square-meter apartments only make up around 15% of the entire project,” she said. The majority of premium condos her firm represents are units larger than 200 square meters, which are the dominating commodities of the Shanghai luxury market, according to Savills.

Pondering Smaller Units

It’s undeniable that smaller luxury units are popular items among ravenous buyers. But these projects demand complex planning. Shanghai real estate developers battle with meager downtown land resources and increasingly arduous government vetting.

“Some developers did ponder the ‘small’ option, but to build these projects in downtown Shanghai is a very daunting task,” Ms. Tang said.

“Out of downtown, small-sized luxury would lose its appeal,” she said, “so many developers are wary about diving in.”

Fuxing Royale’s prime location and smaller units target successful young professionals.
Savills Real Estate ​

“Small high-end units target successful young professionals,” she added.“But because of limited buying opportunities restricted by law, the bulk of luxury investors still prefer bigger units to maximize future value.”

At the same time, “compact luxury” could have market potential as affluent buyers flock back to the city.

Real estate broker Wang Donghao from Hangzhou, once the priciest residential real estate market in the nation, said people’s impression of luxury is evolving.

“Before, roomy suburban houses were symbols of success. But trailing infrastructure and taxing commutes are driving people back to the city center. The new badge of success is a downtown apartment,” said Mr. Wang. He added that modern, space-efficient designs also make compact homes an easier sell.

http://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/50550-shanghai-flirts-with-small-luxury-condos

 

[Shotgunner51]

In A Massive City, This Bar Serves Up Diverse Drinks — To 8 People At A Time
By editor • Dec 29, 2016

Moe stands behind her tiny bar in Shanghai, where there are only eight seats and reservations are a must.
​

Born in Mongolia, raised in Japan, and settled firmly in Shanghai, Moe — her full name — runs one of the tiniest bars in Shanghai. But besides her name, Moe (pronounced "Mo-ee") has little in common with Homer Simpson's favorite barman.

She was 20 when she arrived in Shanghai, Moe says from behind the counter. "I went to many bars, I drank a lot, and I spent a lot of money. One day, I thought to myself: 'With all the money I've spent on drinking, I could open my own bar.' "

And so she did. Her bar, Moju, is tucked inside a line of shops along a quiet tree-lined avenue in the Changning district, just west of downtown Shanghai. In a city of 26 million, this bar has room for just eight people along a single counter.

The short, spry 30-year-old Moe designs her own bartender outfits and serves nothing but her own signature drinks, from a bloody mary made with her own truffle-infused vodka to a Korean sour made with pomelo tea and egg white.

On this evening, Moe mixes a drink to the sound of Dean Martin crooning in the background. She rattles a cocktail shaker in a frenzy, over her head, to her side and behind her back, before slamming it down on the bar with moves resembling those of a Flamenco dancer.

Reservations are a must at Moju's. Customers come from all over the world, and Moe chats with them in Japanese, Mongolian, Russian, Chinese and English.

"For me, Shanghai means diversity," she says. "Everyone is from somewhere else. When something becomes popular in other countries, it quickly arrives here."

Yet to a city with such a mix of people, Moe has dedicated the simplest of New Year's drinks — she calls it sakura. "It took me half a year to get it right," she says, pushing the pink concoction across the bar.

She makes it with Botanist Gin, Cointreau triple sec, a twist of lemon and the bright pink syrup of the cherry blossom flower, an import from Japan. "There's an old Japanese tale about a sakura tree that lived for thousands of years. That's my hope for this drink," she says.

It's had a good start. In October, she entered her sakura drink in an international competition sponsored by Cointreau, and she beat out dozens of mixologists from around the world to win first prize.

"The other bartenders in the competition made very complex and sophisticated drinks," she recalls, but simple sakura beat them all.

And that's Moe's New Year's wish for 2017 — that inside this ever-changing and expanding metropolis in one of the biggest economies of the world, the secret to success is: keep it simple.

http://upr.org/post/shanghai-bar-offers-new-years-revellers-simple-yet-award-winning-cocktail

 

[Shotgunner51]

Shanghai nursing home installs high-tech tub for elderly
Thursday, Jan 5, 2017

China's first automatic bathtub, which is designed for people with mobility problems, has been installed in a Shanghai nursing home.

The bathtub, which uses small vibrations sent through the water to wash the body, was delivered to Shanghai Xiangfu Retirement Center last week, with another 23 models to be sent to homes across the city.

"We've partnered with the government so that as many rehabilitation centres as possible in China can have the product," said Zang Lina, vice-president of Care4 Health Medical Co, which developed the bathtub.​

She added that the bathtub is only available in China, although there has been interest from overseas.

Slightly bigger than a traditional bathtub, the Care4 tub is aimed at aiding the elderly or people with mobility issues. It is accessed through a side door, and is fitted with safety rails and a mechanical seat that slides in and out of the water.

To prevent a user from catching a cold, the tub also pipes in warm air while it is being filled or when the water is draining. Built-in leakage protection systems prevent the risk of an electrical accident, while hydrotherapy massage jets boost blood circulation, which can strengthen the immune system.

The high-tech tub costs 50,000 yuan (S$10,360), although Care4 said the price is expected to fall after further remodeling.

Introducing the product in Shanghai nursing homes is part of a programme by the Senior Citizens Foundation to make life more convenient for elderly residents.

Official figures show more than 36 per cent of the city's registered population will be age 60 or older by 2020. Nationally, this demographic is forecast to almost double from the 212 million in 2014 to about 400 million by 2050.

Wei Qiqi, an executive at Shanghai Xiangfu Retirement Center, said the bathtub arrived on Dec 21. Although it has not yet been used, she said it would definitely make it easier for caregivers to bathe residents with mobility problems.

Zhu Youqiong, a caregiver at Huacao Township Nursing Home in the city's Minhang district, said helping an elderly resident to shower takes about an hour, or even longer if the person cannot walk or move without assistance.

"We have to first carry them from their bed, put them into a wheelchair and then into the shower," she said. "Because the floor is wet, preventing them from slipping requires a lot of physical strength."​

She said a product like the Care4 bathtub, which can complete a full wash in 15 minutes and can be used up to 25 times a day, would considerably lessen the workload of caregivers and better protect residents' privacy.

Ma Anqi contributed to this story.

See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/s...ls-high-tech-tub-elderly#sthash.JGgF2VWb.dpuf

 

[Godman]

In A Massive City, This Bar Serves Up Diverse Drinks — To 8 People At A Time
By editor • Dec 29, 2016

View attachment 366882
Moe stands behind her tiny bar in Shanghai, where there are only eight seats and reservations are a must.
​

Born in Mongolia, raised in Japan, and settled firmly in Shanghai, Moe — her full name — runs one of the tiniest bars in Shanghai. But besides her name, Moe (pronounced "Mo-ee") has little in common with Homer Simpson's favorite barman.

She was 20 when she arrived in Shanghai, Moe says from behind the counter. "I went to many bars, I drank a lot, and I spent a lot of money. One day, I thought to myself: 'With all the money I've spent on drinking, I could open my own bar.' "

And so she did. Her bar, Moju, is tucked inside a line of shops along a quiet tree-lined avenue in the Changning district, just west of downtown Shanghai. In a city of 26 million, this bar has room for just eight people along a single counter.

The short, spry 30-year-old Moe designs her own bartender outfits and serves nothing but her own signature drinks, from a bloody mary made with her own truffle-infused vodka to a Korean sour made with pomelo tea and egg white.

On this evening, Moe mixes a drink to the sound of Dean Martin crooning in the background. She rattles a cocktail shaker in a frenzy, over her head, to her side and behind her back, before slamming it down on the bar with moves resembling those of a Flamenco dancer.

Reservations are a must at Moju's. Customers come from all over the world, and Moe chats with them in Japanese, Mongolian, Russian, Chinese and English.

"For me, Shanghai means diversity," she says. "Everyone is from somewhere else. When something becomes popular in other countries, it quickly arrives here."

Yet to a city with such a mix of people, Moe has dedicated the simplest of New Year's drinks — she calls it sakura. "It took me half a year to get it right," she says, pushing the pink concoction across the bar.

She makes it with Botanist Gin, Cointreau triple sec, a twist of lemon and the bright pink syrup of the cherry blossom flower, an import from Japan. "There's an old Japanese tale about a sakura tree that lived for thousands of years. That's my hope for this drink," she says.

It's had a good start. In October, she entered her sakura drink in an international competition sponsored by Cointreau, and she beat out dozens of mixologists from around the world to win first prize.

"The other bartenders in the competition made very complex and sophisticated drinks," she recalls, but simple sakura beat them all.

And that's Moe's New Year's wish for 2017 — that inside this ever-changing and expanding metropolis in one of the biggest economies of the world, the secret to success is: keep it simple.

http://upr.org/post/shanghai-bar-offers-new-years-revellers-simple-yet-award-winning-cocktail

She look pretty young. So is Shanghai becoming like NYC a mix of vibrant and modern cultures?