Shanghai Basic Facts

May 1st 2010 marks the first day of Expo Shanghai 2010, one of the largest world expos ever held. This is China's first time hosting the event - which began in 1851 in London as the first world's fair. As many of you already know, T&T will be participating in Expo Shanghai 2010 with its own booth in the CARICOM Pavilion. More information about Expo Shanghai 2010 and MTI's participation in the event can be found in the previous article on this blog.

The following are some basic facts about Shanghai:

Brief History

Unlike many cities in China with long and varied histories, Shanghai's history is quite short. The British opened a concession in Shanghai after the first Opium War and ignited Shanghai's evolution. Once a small fishing village on the edge of the muddy Huang Pu River, it has become one of the world's most modern and sophisticated cities.

Shanghai is growing into one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia with increasingly modern infrastructure and services. It is China's second largest city (after Chongqing) with a population of over 17 million. Dynamic and innovative, Shanghai is helping to drive China's developing economy.

Location

Shanghai is situated at 31' 14' north latitude and 121' 29' east longitude. Bordering on Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces on the west, Shanghai is washed by the East China Sea on the east and Hangzhou Bay on the south. On the north of the city, the Yangtze River pours into the East China Sea. It also assumes the central location along China’s coastal line. Thanks to its advantageous geographic location, Shanghai has today become an excellent sea and river port, boasting easy access to a vast hinterland.

Climate

With a pleasant northern subtropical maritime monsoon climate, Shanghai enjoys four distinct seasons, generous sunshine and abundant rainfall every year. Its spring and autumn are relatively short compared with the summer and winter. In 2006, the average annual temperature was 18.4 degrees Celsius. The city had a total sunshine time of 1,638.2 hours in 2006 and received a total rainfall of 1,042.6 millimetres. However, about 70% of the precipitation came during the May-September flood season.

Land Area

At the end of 2006, the city of Shanghai covered an area of 6,340.5 km2, or 0.06% of China’s total territory. It extends about 120 kilometres from north to south and nearly 100 kilometres from east to west. The city has three islands under its jurisdiction, Chongming, Changxing and Hengsha, and Chongming Island is the third largest island in China, covering an area of 1,041.21 km2.

Population

Due to constant inflow of people from other parts of the country, the size of population in Shanghai keeps growing. At the beginning when Shanghai was turned into a city, it only had a population of less than 100,000. In 1949, the city had a population of 5.2 million. By the end of 2006, however, the total registered population in Shanghai had grown to 13.681 million, accounting for 1% of China’s total. In 2006, the average population density in the city, in terms of registered population, stood at 2,157 people per km2. By the end of 2006, the total resident population reached 18.15 million, including 4.67 million from out of town.

Sources:

World Expo Shanghai 2010 Participation Guide (p. A9 -10); Sara Naumann, ‘A Short History of Shanghai’, About.com (http://gochina.about.com/od/shanghai/p/SH_History.htm)

Shanghai

T&T to Participate in Expo Shanghai 2010

Trinidad and Tobago will be participating in the famous World Expo which will be held this year in Shanghai, China. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) will be among the team of those representing Trinidad and Tobago at Expo Shanghai 2010 which runs from May 1^st to October 31^st 2010. Trinidad and Tobago’s participation in this World Expo is being coordinated by Eteck, head of the Steering Committee. The Committee also comprises representatives of MTI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and government agencies such as the Business Development Company Limited (BDC), Tourism Development Company (TDC), Tobago House of Assembly and others, along with support from the private sector.

The World Expo is a large-scale, global, non-commercial Expo and is held every five years. The Expo aims to promote the exchange of ideas and development of the world economy, culture, science and technology, to allow exhibitors to publicise and display their achievements and improve international relationships. Accordingly, the World Expo with its 150-year history is regarded as the Olympic Games for showcasing economy, science and technology.

The theme of Expo 2010 is ‘Better City, Better Life’ representing the common wish of the whole humankind for a better living in future urban environments. The Expo Shanghai 2010 emblem is inspired by the shape of the Chinese character “世”(meaning the world) and projects the image of three people, you, I, and he/she, throwing arms around each other. It symbolizes the big family of mankind in harmony and happiness, and conveys the notion of the World Expo of “understanding, communication, union and cooperation”.

More than 200 countries and over 50 international organizations have registered to participate in the Shanghai World Expo. China expects to receive almost 100 foreign leaders and millions of people from across the world to come and visit the World Expo. 70 million visitors are expected, the largest in history.

As part of the overall CARICOM Pavilion, Trinidad and Tobago’s presentation at Expo Shanghai 2010 focuses on a core activity of securing business opportunities in trade, joint venturing and foreign direct investment. The concept of our display ties in closely with the overall theme of Expo Shanghai 2010 and allows us to ingeniously focus on the many business opportunities available in our major metropolitan areas by highlighting through striking photographic images, visuals and text the many strengths and competitive advantages of Trinidad and Tobago to potential investors, business partners and members of the visiting public.

The T&T booth is laid out in the form of a pan, with a large open central area with smaller semi-enclosed spaces radiating outward. There are three circular illuminated cut-outs in the floor with graphic imagery and photos depicting Innovative People, Investment Opportunities and Island Paradise. The most striking features of the exhibition space are five sweeping curved walls or “pillars”, which contain information on the major urban centers of the nation – Port of Spain, Arima/Sangre Grande, Chaguanas, Scarborough and San Fernando - and these speak to the overall Expo 2010 theme ‘Better City, Better Life’. The walls behind each pillar portray elements of the country’s cultural, economic and industrial life through large, descriptive photographs spanning the entire length of each wall.

MTI will be participating in Expo Shanghai 2010 for the full six months and six MTI staff members will be going to Shanghai to work in the Trinidad and Tobago booth, one every month. MTI staff members, starting with Janice Parris at the end of April, will be joining representatives from Eteck, THA and BDC to form the T&T teams who will be manning the T&T booth.

For further information on Expo Shanghai 2010, you can visit the official website at http://en.expo2010.cn/ or contact MTI’s Donna De Four at extension 2107.

Entrance to T&T's Booth in Expo Shanghai 2010

Overhead shot of T&T's Booth in CARICOM Pavilion

Shanghai 2010 Mascot

Expo Shanghai 2010 Logo

TIC 2010 Launch

Once again, MTI has partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA) to host the 11^th Trade and Investment Convention (TIC). This is the tenth year that MTI has been working with TTMA to organize this important convention that attracts exhibitors, buyers and distributors from over 35 countries across the globe. The launch of TIC 2010 was held at the end of January at Jaffa Restaurant in the Queen’s Park Oval with Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne delivering the feature address.

TIC 2010 will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from May 19^th to 22^nd 2010. MTI will once again have its own booth at TIC, and there will be a special arrangement this year for the participation of the Seven Sectors - Yachting, Merchant Marine, Food and Beverage, Film, Music and Entertainment, Printing and Packaging and Fish and Fish Processing.

Over the past few months, various MTI staff members have been working with members of the relevant sectors to prepare for this Convention to ensure that this year is once again a success. In fact, both Carol Bickram and Videsh Maharaj of MTI are on the TTMA’s TIC 2010 Committee. MTI is committed to ensuring that all presentations are as attractive as possible and has been liaising with the relevant industry teams and companies to coordinate the various booth structures, to ensure that each of the Seven Sectors will be able to retain some level of individuality.

During his address at the TIC 2010 Launch, Minister Browne emphasized the importance of TIC 2010 now more than ever stating that ‘activities such as TIC are especially critical in times of economic slowdown, when business needs to reassert itself to continue driving investment and commercial activity.’ He expressed MTI’s willingness to continue partnering with business in promoting trade and investment through exercises such as TIC and also stressed the need for businesses to take advantage of the opportunities created through policy initiatives set up by the Government.

Further information on TIC 2010 can be found on the official TIC website at www.tic-tt.com.

Photos from the TIC 2010 Launch