SINGAPORE: Beijing is Chinas capital and centre of political power, but it is the southern city of Shanghai that has been dubbed "the capital of capital".
Then came decades of revolution, political turmoil, and economic isolation. This only started to change in the late 1970s with Chinas reform and opening up.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Since then, Shanghai has been back on the map. And in that map of the world, China has become a key player.
China is now the worlds second-largest economy, with the worlds second-largest foreign exchange reserves. It is also the worlds biggest trading nation.
Shanghai too has the most developed financial exchange in mainland China.
In 2019, Shanghai attracted a record US$19.05 billion in foreign capital, up 10.1 per cent year-on-year.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Foreign financial institutions have also increased their presence in the city. In the latest Gobal Financial Centres Index, Shanghai was ranked the fourth most competitive financial centre worldwide, second only to Tokyo in Asia.
WATCH: Is Shanghai on track to achieving its target of becoming an international finance centre?
Professor He Shuquan from the School of Economics at Shanghai University said the citys key selling point is the access it offers to markets in mainland China.
But a strategic location is not Shanghais only selling point.
Mr Lim Chee-Kiang, a Singaporean consultant working in Shanghai, said the city has a “secret sauce” that distinguishes it from others.
One is talent, the other is innovation, said Mr Lim, the managing director of consultancy firm Urban Science in China.
“We all know that industries around the world are facing massive amounts of digital disruption. The financial industry is one of the most impacted sectors. So these elements of innovation will help strengthen Shanghais position and its growing prominence as a financial hub for China and for the rest of the Asia-Pacific,” said Mr Lim.
READ: Commentary – China has an opportunity to resurrect global economic cooperation
The vision for Shanghai to be an international financial hub was first unveiled by China in 2009.
In February 2020, the Chinese government issued a new directive, calling for the acceleration of this transformation.
The plans included trials in the Lingang New Area, an extension of the citys free trade zone thats touted as a new window to economic globalisation.
Experts said such a policy document, issued while China was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed the extent of official support for this goal.
They also cautioned, however, that financial hubs cannot be created by government policy alone.
READ: Commentary – COVID-19 is creating some awkward moments for the Chinese dream
“We will have to see whether the Chinese government is able to cultivate the people or systems to meet the requirements of being an international financial hub," said Prof He.
"If the government is unable to cultivate the environment, Shanghai might not be able to become a true international financial hub. This environment can either be formed naturally, or due to the efforts of the government. However, for the government to create a financial hub artificially, there will certainly be a price to pay,” he added.
One major sticking point is the convertibility of the Chinese yuan.
According to Prof He, Shanghai cannot be considered an established financial hub, because one criterion is that the yuan has to be freely convertible. He considers the financial hub goal a work in progress.
He also pointed out that export and import volumes need to be considered too.
“There is a gap between Shanghais financial hub status and its export and import volume. The RMBs status and export and import volume are not proportionate. The volume is very high, but the RMBs status isnt very high,” said Prof He.
READ: China's GDP grows 3.2% in Q2 after record contraction in previous quarter due to COVID-19
But businessmen such as Mr Lim take this as part of the operating environment in China.
SINGAPORE: Beijing is Chinas capital and centre of political power, but it is the southern city of Shanghai that has been dubbed "the capital of capital".
Then came decades of revolution, political turmoil, and economic isolation. This only started to change in the late 1970s with Chinas reform and opening up.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Since then, Shanghai has been back on the map. And in that map of the world, China has become a key player.
China is now the worlds second-largest economy, with the worlds second-largest foreign exchange reserves. It is also the worlds biggest trading nation.
Shanghai too has the most developed financial exchange in mainland China.
In 2019, Shanghai attracted a record US$19.05 billion in foreign capital, up 10.1 per cent year-on-year.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Foreign financial institutions have also increased their presence in the city. In the latest Gobal Financial Centres Index, Shanghai was ranked the fourth most competitive financial centre worldwide, second only to Tokyo in Asia.
WATCH: Is Shanghai on track to achieving its target of becoming an international finance centre?
Professor He Shuquan from the School of Economics at Shanghai University said the citys key selling point is the access it offers to markets in mainland China.
But a strategic location is not Shanghais only selling point.
Mr Lim Chee-Kiang, a Singaporean consultant working in Shanghai, said the city has a “secret sauce” that distinguishes it from others.
One is talent, the other is innovation, said Mr Lim, the managing director of consultancy firm Urban Science in China.
“We all know that industries around the world are facing massive amounts of digital disruption. The financial industry is one of the most impacted sectors. So these elements of innovation will help strengthen Shanghais position and its growing prominence as a financial hub for China and for the rest of the Asia-Pacific,” said Mr Lim.
READ: Commentary – China has an opportunity to resurrect global economic cooperation
The vision for Shanghai to be an international financial hub was first unveiled by China in 2009.
In February 2020, the Chinese government issued a new directive, calling for the acceleration of this transformation.
The plans included trials in the Lingang New Area, an extension of the citys free trade zone thats touted as a new window to economic globalisation.
Experts said such a policy document, issued while China was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, showed the extent of official support for this goal.
They also cautioned, however, that financial hubs cannot be created by government policy alone.
READ: Commentary – COVID-19 is creating some awkward moments for the Chinese dream
“We will have to see whether the Chinese government is able to cultivate the people or systems to meet the requirements of being an international financial hub," said Prof He.
"If the government is unable to cultivate the environment, Shanghai might not be able to become a true international financial hub. This environment can either be formed naturally, or due to the efforts of the government. However, for the government to create a financial hub artificially, there will certainly be a price to pay,” he added.
One major sticking point is the convertibility of the Chinese yuan.
According to Prof He, Shanghai cannot be considered an established financial hub, because one criterion is that the yuan has to be freely convertible. He considers the financial hub goal a work in progress.
He also pointed out that export and import volumes need to be considered too.
“There is a gap between Shanghais financial hub status and its export and import volume. The RMBs status and export and import volume are not proportionate. The volume is very high, but the RMBs status isnt very high,” said Prof He.
READ: China's GDP grows 3.2% in Q2 after record contraction in previous quarter due to COVID-19
But businessmen such as Mr Lim take this as part of the operating environment in China.
