2021/12/16
Since the open-up policy, the Hongqiao Airport was expanded as an international airport and Hongqiao Economic and Technologic Development Zone was set up. Changning became the first area to attract foreign residents and Gubei New Area became one of the 10 landmark sights of 1990s Shanghai. Changning gradually became Shanghai’s major gathering place of foreigners.
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is one of the three largest international airports in China. It is in the west area of Shanghai, 13 kms away from downtown and occupies 4.55 square kms of land. It was first built in 1907 as a military airport. In August 1963, China and Pakistan decided to open an international airline from Shanghai to Karachi. In October, the State Council approved expanding Hongqiao airport to become an international airport for both military and civilian services. It gradually became the only airport in Shanghai, substituting Longhua Airport.
After 1949 and especially after the open-up policy, Hongqiao Airport was rebuilt and expanded a few times. By 1995, it had regular flights to 86 domestic and overseas cities. The annual throughput of passenger cars were 1.1 million times and the annual throughput of good transportation were 360,000 tons. Annual takeoffs and arrivals of flights were 85,000 and there were 37 airlines in the airport. Hongqiao Airport became one of the three largest civil airports in China. It was not only the aero gate of Shanghai, but also an important pathway of China’s foreign affairs to the East. The advantages of the airport pushed the establishment of Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technologic Development Zone.
In 1982, the municipal government decided to take advantage of the Hongqiao Airport and set up Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technologic Development Zone featuring foreign trading and commerce. The zone started at West Zhongshan Road in the east, Gubei Road on the west, Hongqiao Road on the south and Xianxia Road on the north with a total area of 0.65 square kms. In 1984, the plan of the zone was approved. In 1986, the State Council approved the plan and named it Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technologic Development Zone, a stage level development zone.
In 1984, Gubei New Area, the largest foreign standard composite residential area, was set up to match with the development zone and to accommodate to the general plan of the city’s development. The area started at Yaohong Road on the east, Hongxu Road on the west, Hongqiao Road on the north and Guyang Road on the south with a total area of 1.37 square kms. By 1995, they finished 15 multi-level luxurious apartment buildings, 21 high-level luxurious apartment buildings and 88 houses with gardens, mostly in European style to display the architectural fashion of a modern metropolitan. In 1995, the area was also listed as one of the ten sights in Shanghai.
In 1984, Changning district government set up an office for foreign affairs. After the open-up policy, number of foreign relevant events increased rapidly. In 1987, Changning district established friendly relation with Osaka’s Hirakatashi city.