Shanghai: A blend of art and modernity

We are now at Tianzifang - it's an old Shanghai neighbourhood where some of the old-style alleyways have been renovated and turned into modern shops. What we've got here is kind of a mix of the old Shanghai and the new Shanghai coming together for something completely different, so we're going to go explore and take a look.

Tianzifang may be a bustling tourist hotspot today, but the steady exodus of artists from within has inherently reduced it to a shadow of its former self - a center for arts and culture

The scene along Taikang Road today is a far cry from what it was two decades ago. Now home to the iconic Tianzifang, the area is filled with numerous retail outlets, small snack shops, bars and cafes, most of which are occupied by tourists from other Chinese cities and abroad.

Located in the heart of the city and well known for its labyrinth of alleys, Tianzifang was built where abandoned factories from the 1940s and historical Shikumen residential buildings from the 1920s once stood.

Located in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone, Shanghai has a lot of advantages that make it an ideal host for the expo. From favourable geography and economic strength to well-developed service industries and connections to global supply chains, Shanghai has an abundance of riches. It's also a city on the move, container throughput in the port of Shanghai has taken first place for seven consecutive years. Passenger through?put at?the city's airports has also exceeded 100 million, with route networks covering 282 cities from around the world. Enterprises from over 100 countries and regions are expected to participate in this first expo. This exhibition is one of many ways China is deepening its connections with the rest of the planet.

Reporter: Ian Goodrum

Produced by: Xing Yi, Wang Yuxi and Li Xin

Edited by: Sun Weiwei

Special thanks to China Daily Shanghai Bureau