Going Global Relocation Guides: Beijing, Shanghai, HONG KONG, Singapore (2024)

Going Global Relocation guides are the world's only process-based guides specifically designed to reduce culture shock and increase your chances of a successful relocation abroad.

28/09/2021

RELOCATION CHECKLIST
AS SOON AS YOU CONFIRM
1.Renew your passport – It is a good idea to consider renewing your passport for yourself and your family before relocating, as you may find it very inconvenient to do so while abroad and the possibility exists that you may be an ex-pat for longer than you initially anticipate.
2.Confirm export/import documents – If you are taking care of your own relocation, confirm which documents are necessary to ex-port your belongings from your country and import them into Shanghai in order to avoid any duties or taxes. This will not be a problem if you are using a relocation company, as they will take care of this for you.
3.Get an international driving license–It is also a good idea to get an international driving license for yourself and your spouse or partner, as it will be required in order to acquire a driving license in Shanghai. They are also useful as a secondary form of identification in the event of an emergency.
4.Educate yourself and your family–Start with the books and websites recommended by this guide and then continue your re-search on the Internet. Keep in mind that the value of what you find online can be dubious unless recommended by a trusted source. Information you find may also be out of date, as Shanghai is a rapidly changing city. Colleagues already on assignment in Shanghai, as well as colleagues who have completed assignments in Shanghai, can be a valuable source of information. When taking advice in this fashion, keep in mind that your source may have very different priorities and lifestyle preferences.
5. Check compatibility of your electrical devices– You may need converters for your laptops and appliances. Though they can be acquired in Shanghai, it is not something you want to find out as you try to charge your phone or laptop upon arrival. Almost all outlets in Shanghai employ Type G or A sockets (see www.electricaloutlet.org/type-g), and the grid is 220 V and 50 Hz.
6. Research schools –If you have children, start familiarizing yourself with the available options for international schooling. Read our Education section (page 96), conduct supple-mental research and then get in touch with ad-missions officers as early as possible. They will tell you which documents your child’s school will need to provide you for their application process. Collect these documents for all your children as soon as possible.
7. Confirm health care requirements –Read our section on health care carefully. Get checkups, vaccinations and extra prescriptions, confirm your health insurance and get supple-mental travel insurance if necessary. Speak to your doctor about medical records and ask if you will need to take them with you.
8. Make a plan for your family vehicle – Whether you will be storing, selling or, in the rare case, shipping your vehicle to Shanghai, make the plan early. It is better to arrange the sale of your car a few weeks prior to departure and pay for a rental rather than sell at the last minute and be forced to accept a reduced sale price. If you plan to ship your vehicle to Shanghai, your relocation company will help you make the arrangements.
TWO MONTHS OUT
9. Make the list –Decide what you will be taking and start making a master list. This will change as you get closer to departure with some things being added and some cut. Be aware of your budget and consult with your re-location company if you have questions about the volume of the goods you want to take.
10. Confirm insurance –Contact your insurance agent and confirm any changes to your insurance policies that are necessary due to your relocation.
11. Deal with memberships –Contact any organizations for which you have a paid membership and arrange to end, suspend, sell or transfer your membership prior to your departure.
12. Collect professional papers –Obtain officially authorized copies of degrees, professional certifications and reference letters. These may not be needed but you’ll be thankful you have them if they are.
13. Pre-move survey – Refer to our section on the pre-move survey and ask all the questions you need to know the answers to. This will ensure that you have no unwanted surprises during the moving process. Know the requirements, allowances and the risks. Knowing what to expect will reduce your stress level dramatically during the move. Knowledge is power... and, in this case, peace of mind.
14. Take care of your pet –Consult our pet relocation section (page 86) and start your preparations early.
15. Plane tickets –Your company maybe taking care of this for you but if they are not, it is a good idea to book early. Keep your tickets after arrival as customs may require them.
16. Car reservations –If you think you would like more flexibility during your look-see, then you might want to hire a driver. Our listings are a good place to start looking if your company is not providing you with the service.
17. Hotel reservations –During your look-see, choosing the right hotel in the right location will help you get the most out of your trip. If you have a period to wait while your belongings arrive, then a good hotel will also ease your transition.
18. Change your address– Consult our change of address checklist at the end of this section for a list of organizations and companies that you should notify of your departure.
19.Lodge documents for ease of access/safekeeping – Documents such as deeds, titles, policies, guarantees, receipts, wills, powers of attorney, marriage/birth certificates and original copies of degrees and professional certifications should be securely stored prior to departure. Keep in mind that while a safe deposit box will ensure security, you will not have access to it while abroad.
20. Open an offshore bank account – Many expatriates consider an offshore bank account an absolute must. Refer to our section on financial preparations for advice.
ONE MONTH OUT
21. Start cleaning – It’s a good idea to have your carpets, curtains and linens cleaned before you leave. There are numerous modern storage solutions that will ensure your bedding remains fresh for your return home.
22.Minimize– A move is a good opportunity to get rid of all the stuff that you don’t need. Your local charity will be more than happy to stop by and pick up the unused items in your house.
ONE WEEK OUT
23. Continue cleaning– Cleaning and oiling bicycles and garden tools will ensure that they work well when you return. All lawn mowers and other engine-driven machines should have their gasoline removed as it will congeal over time and cause damage.
24. Contact details– Deliver intermediate contact details to your friends and relatives for the hotel you are staying at during your move.
25. Make your valued inventory list – All those items that would cause a serious problem if lost need to be confirmed and packaged.
26. Confirm all reservations– Confirm all airline and hotel (etc) reservations at least one week in advance to ensure adequate time to make alternate arrangements if necessary.
27. Reserve a parking spot for the moving crew– If you live on a busy street, reserve a parking spot for the moving crew to ensure that the move proceeds on schedule and with-out interruption.
28. Arrange care for children and pets on moving day – Moving day will be chaotic enough without having to make sure that kids and pets are safe and not under the feet of the movers. If you arrange a caregiver to take the children overnight and on a fun outing on moving day, it will alleviate some of the stress they may be feeling and help smooth the process.
29. Discontinue any regular deliveries – Regular deliveries of newspapers, magazines, groceries, etc. should be cancelled. If there are magazines that you wish to continue subscribing to, you can inquire as to whether they ship to Shanghai.
30. Give away plants and perishable/nonperishable foods – In the case of nonperishable foods, your local food bank would be a good place to donate.
31. Identify airfreight items – Depending on the arrangement you have with your relocation company, your shipment may arrive sometime after you do. If this is the case, shipping some essential items that will not be travelling with you might be in order so make a list if it is.
TWO DAYS OUT
32. Prepare your luggage– Take into ac-count the weather in Shanghai for the time of year when you will arrive.
33. Dry out kitchen appliances and clean fridge – If you are shipping kitchen appliances, start drying them out to avoid mildew that will accumulate during the shipping process.
34.Food for the crew– Prepare some drinks and snacks for the moving crew as it will make the process go smoother.
MOVING DAY
35.Store critical items– Make sure all important documents and items such as passports, plane tickets, keys, computers,…etc are all in a safe location on moving day to ensure that the movers don’t accidentally take them as well.
36. Brief foreman– Take the moving crew foreman around your house and explain to them what needs to be moved and any special requests that you have. Do this again once they are finished to make sure nothing was left behind.
37. Sign and get a copy of the packing inventory – This will prevent any confusion when you take delivery of your shipment.
38. Record all utility meter readings –Pack the readings with your important documents.
39. Take a deep breath – At this point it is helpful to take a moment with your family when the packing is all done and bid farewell for now to your home knowing that when you return all will look a little different.
🎯 For more relocation guides, download these apps for free to help you have a better life in your relocation city:
-Shanghai:
✅ Android:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-shanghai-relocation-guide/9p02cg0db5ms?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Beijing:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-beijing/9pdcfwjpl6jf?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Hongkong:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-hong-kong-20/9n6sxmhrs4n9?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Singapore:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-singapore/9p00sljl6zhd?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

23/09/2021

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI
Shanghai’s historical evolution from a sleepy fishing and textile port on the Yangtze Delta to a fully fledged world-class city has been formed by lucrative Chinese-Western trading relationships, cheap and plentiful labor from impoverished rural areas and the city’s relative peace compared with the rest of China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Shanghai emerged as a popular export center for the British East India Company in the 18th century as Chinese silk, porcelain and tea became popular in Great Britain. However, the isolationist Qing Dynasty had no desire for Western goods, thus creating an unacceptable trade imbalance. To rectify the situation, the British took advantage of the Chinese penchant for o***m smoking by cultivating and importing a superior product from India. When China resisted by seizing the o***m and restricting trade access, the industrialized British army overpowered the Chinese in what became known as the First O***m War. In the resulting 1842 Treaty of Nanking, the Chinese ceded Hong Kong and extraterritorial concessions in five cities, including Shanghai. The British named their new autonomous settlement along the Huangpu River the Bund, which was later consolidated with the American community to form the International Concession. The French and Germans also carved out sovereign concessions, where they were not subject to Chinese law and could trade freely. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, while most of China was suffering from internal conflict and poverty, Shanghai blossomed as foreign residents built up an impressive infrastructure. While the rest of China was entrenched in civil strife, Shanghai developed some of China’s best roads and hotels, its first gaslights, electric power, telephones and trams. The city continued to prosper throughout the first decades of the 20th century, welcoming Japanese, Russians and other Europeans, each bringing their own customs and culture. By the 1920s and 30s, Shanghai had grown into the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan city in all of Asia. It wasn’t just British financiers and Japanese industrialists that were getting rich; gangsters and thugs from all nationalities were able to establish a foothold. The city became legendary for debauchery. At one time the International Settlement alone boasted nearly 700 brothels, earning Shanghai the dubious titles of ‘City of Sin’ and the ‘Whore of the Orient’. The Japanese invaded the International Settlement in 1942 and interned Allied nationals in detention centers until the Japanese sur-rendered to the Americans in 1945. Soon after, the Communists liberated Shanghai in 1949, and ensured that the party was over. The city immediately became considerably grayer. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Shanghai was the head-quarters of the Gang of Four, who purged the city of the ‘Four Olds’: old habits, old culture, old customs and old ways of thinking. By the time they were finished, the only evidence of Shanghai’s earlier prosperity and decadence was the crumbling infra-structure left behind. When Richard Nixon visited Shanghai for his historic meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, the city was completely dark after nightfall. Even in 1988, ten years after Deng Xiaoping launched the economic reform era, the tallest building in the city was the Park Hotel, built in 1934.In 1990, however, the government in Beijing decreed that Shanghai was to be the epicenter of China’s ambitions of becoming a global economic powerhouse, allocating national revenues to store up neglected infrastructure and subsidize business development. Pudong, consisting at the time of a few settlements and rice paddies, was declared a Special Economic Zone. The city quickly changed beyond recognition as it rushed to make up for the 40 years it had lost during Communism. Tens of thousands of foreign and Chinese investors poured money into new enterprises and infrastructure, while hundreds of thousands of Chinese laborers migrated from their homes across the country to Shanghai to build it. By the time Shanghai was awarded the 2010 World Expo in 2002, it was a modern megalopolis with a population approaching 20 million. The city spared no expense to impress visitors to the 2010 Expo, inspiring a building frenzy that included a new terminal in Pudong International Airport, upgrades to the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Mall and the Yan’an Elevated Expressway, new bridges and an underground public transportation system that has now overtaken London’s in size. Shanghai has truly regained what many feel is its rightful place on the world stage. For a visitor from the recent past, Shanghai would be virtually unrecognizable. Basking in its boomtown exuberance, 21st-century Shanghai emanates a feeling of energy and adventure. This is a city which has no time for nostalgia as it blasts off into the future, never slowing and certainly not stopping for a moment to smell the roses. Then again, making money through economic adventure and old-fashioned industriousness is nothing new to the Shanghainese. The original characteristics that created Shanghai prosperity are still prevalent
today: Chinese-Western trading relationships, innovative and entrepreneurial Chinese and Asian migrants, cheap, hard-working and plentiful labor and relatively hands-off government policy. Behind Shanghai’s modern glitz, there are plenty of relics of the past. The architecture and street ambience of the Bund and the French Concession offer visitors a glimpse of Shanghai’s colorful past, and any visitor who compares the elegant villas of the French Concession to the crowded quarters of the Old City can quickly imagine the historic income disparities of 1920s Shanghai. Those disparities still exist today of course and are also worth noting. Shanghai is sure to dazzle and intrigue any visitor, and it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on where it came from, and where it might be going – since it's evolving daily and what remains of its past is fast disappearing amidst a sea of change.

23/09/2021

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI
Shanghai’s historical evolution from a sleepy fishing and textile port on the Yangtze Delta to a fully fledged world-class city has been formed by lucrative Chinese-Western trading relationships, cheap and plentiful labor from impoverished rural areas and the city’s relative peace compared with the rest of China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Shanghai emerged as a popular export center for the British East India Company in the 18th century as Chinese silk, porcelain and tea became popular in Great Britain. However, the isolationist Qing Dynasty had no desire for Western goods, thus creating an unacceptable trade imbalance. To rectify the situation, the British took advantage of the Chinese penchant for o***m smoking by cultivating and importing a superior product from India. When China resisted by seizing the o***m and restricting trade access, the industrialized British army overpowered the Chinese in what became known as the First O***m War. In the resulting 1842 Treaty of Nanking, the Chinese ceded Hong Kong and extraterritorial concessions in five cities, including Shanghai. The British named their new autonomous settlement along the Huangpu River the Bund, which was later consolidated with the American community to form the International Concession. The French and Germans also carved out sovereign concessions, where they were not subject to Chinese law and could trade freely. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, while most of China was suffering from internal conflict and poverty, Shanghai blossomed as foreign residents built up an impressive infrastructure. While the rest of China was entrenched in civil strife, Shanghai developed some of China’s best roads and hotels, its first gaslights, electric power, telephones and trams. The city continued to prosper throughout the first decades of the 20th century, welcoming Japanese, Russians and other Europeans, each bringing their own customs and culture. By the 1920s and 30s, Shanghai had grown into the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan city in all of Asia. It wasn’t just British financiers and Japanese industrialists that were getting rich; gangsters and thugs from all nationalities were able to establish a foothold. The city became legendary for debauchery. At one time the International Settlement alone boasted nearly 700 brothels, earning Shanghai the dubious titles of ‘City of Sin’ and the ‘Whore of the Orient’. The Japanese invaded the International Settlement in 1942 and interned Allied nationals in detention centers until the Japanese sur-rendered to the Americans in 1945. Soon after, the Communists liberated Shanghai in 1949, and ensured that the party was over. The city immediately became considerably grayer. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Shanghai was the head-quarters of the Gang of Four, who purged the city of the ‘Four Olds’: old habits, old culture, old customs and old ways of thinking. By the time they were finished, the only evidence of Shanghai’s earlier prosperity and decadence was the crumbling infra-structure left behind. When Richard Nixon visited Shanghai for his historic meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, the city was completely dark after nightfall. Even in 1988, ten years after Deng Xiaoping launched the economic reform era, the tallest building in the city was the Park Hotel, built in 1934.In 1990, however, the government in Beijing decreed that Shanghai was to be the epicenter of China’s ambitions of becoming a global economic powerhouse, allocating national revenues to store up neglected infrastructure and subsidize business development. Pudong, consisting at the time of a few settlements and rice paddies, was declared a Special Economic Zone. The city quickly changed beyond recognition as it rushed to make up for the 40 years it had lost during Communism. Tens of thousands of foreign and Chinese investors poured money into new enterprises and infrastructure, while hundreds of thousands of Chinese laborers migrated from their homes across the country to Shanghai to build it. By the time Shanghai was awarded the 2010 World Expo in 2002, it was a modern megalopolis with a population approaching 20 million. The city spared no expense to impress visitors to the 2010 Expo, inspiring a building frenzy that included a new terminal in Pudong International Airport, upgrades to the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Mall and the Yan’an Elevated Expressway, new bridges and an underground public transportation system that has now overtaken London’s in size. Shanghai has truly regained what many feel is its rightful place on the world stage. For a visitor from the recent past, Shanghai would be virtually unrecognizable. Basking in its boomtown exuberance, 21st-century Shanghai emanates a feeling of energy and adventure. This is a city which has no time for nostalgia as it blasts off into the future, never slowing and certainly not stopping for a moment to smell the roses. Then again, making money through economic adventure and old-fashioned industriousness is nothing new to the Shanghainese. The original characteristics that created Shanghai prosperity are still prevalent
today: Chinese-Western trading relationships, innovative and entrepreneurial Chinese and Asian migrants, cheap, hard-working and plentiful labor and relatively hands-off government policy. Behind Shanghai’s modern glitz, there are plenty of relics of the past. The architecture and street ambience of the Bund and the French Concession offer visitors a glimpse of Shanghai’s colorful past, and any visitor who compares the elegant villas of the French Concession to the crowded quarters of the Old City can quickly imagine the historic income disparities of 1920s Shanghai. Those disparities still exist today of course and are also worth noting. Shanghai is sure to dazzle and intrigue any visitor, and it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on where it came from, and where it might be going – since it's evolving daily and what remains of its past is fast disappearing amidst a sea of change.

🎯 For more relocation guides, download these apps for free to help you have a better life in your relocation city:
-Shanghai:
✅ Android:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-shanghai-relocation-guide/9p02cg0db5ms?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Beijing:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-beijing/9pdcfwjpl6jf?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Hongkong:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-hong-kong-20/9n6sxmhrs4n9?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Singapore:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-singapore/9p00sljl6zhd?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

23/09/2021

PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF SHANGHAI
(PART 1)
Becoming familiar with a new people and culture is one of the most exciting aspects of travelling and moving. With a population of over 20 million, Shanghai is one of the world’s biggest, most vibrant and most diverse cities. Getting to know and understand people in Shanghai will no doubt be a source of endless wonderment. On the other hand, it will also be a challenge that will require effort, patience, respect and, at times, a good sense of humor. Overall, Shanghainese are very friendly and welcoming to foreigners, eager to share their culture and learn from yours, and you won’t have trouble meeting new people and building short- and long-term friend-ships and business relationships. Before 1843, Shanghainese culture came from the ancient kingdoms of the Wu and the Yue, from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Since Shanghai emerged as a commercial center in the 19th century, the city has always been a melting pot, drawing people from all over China and the world. Its port location and infamy as a commercial hub have attracted migrants from the country-side for decades. And since foreign companies were welcomed in the 1990s, the number of foreign visitors has ballooned. Today, there are at least 100,000 foreign nationals on temporary residence visas living in the city. Shanghai has long been known throughout China – and much of the world – as the nexus of East and West. Indeed, the city became known for its haipai (literally ‘ocean culture’) well over a century ago after the Treaty of Nanking, when the first British traders settled on a muddy riverbank along the Huangpu. The reputation of Shanghainese as welcoming to foreigners and foreign customs gained currency during the century of Western control over the city from 1841 to 1937, when the city was considered a foreigners’ play-ground. The Shanghainese are still proud of their international and cosmopolitan history, although Chinese from other parts of the country interpret this pride as arrogant, and even unpatriotic. On the other hand, other Chinese people can be considered by Shanghainese to be waidiren (outlanders) or tubaozi (country bumpkins). Indeed, many of the throngs of newcomers that have migrated to Shanghai over the past few decades have arrived from impoverished rural areas. First impressions often lead Westerners to falsely believe that Shanghai is a city blindly enamored by all things foreign. The common presentation of Shanghai as a rapidly Westernizing city where designer labels and KFC are the new face of the town is simplistic. There is a contrast be-tween Shanghai’s outward shell and the people that prop it up. Just scratch below the surface and the underlying adherence to Chinese tradition is obvious. Most Westerners with significant
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
Becoming familiar with a new people and culture is one of the most exciting aspects of travelling and moving. With a population of over 20 million, Shanghai is one of the world’s biggest, most vibrant and most diverse cities. Getting to know and understand people in Shanghai will no doubt be a source of endless wonderment. On the other hand, it will also be a challenge that will require effort, patience, respect and, at times, a good sense of humor. Overall, Shanghainese are very friendly and welcoming to foreigners, eager to share their culture and learn from yours, and you won’t have trouble meeting new people and building short- and long-term friend-ships and business relationships. Before 1843, Shanghainese culture came from the ancient kingdoms of the Wu and the Yue, from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Since Shanghai emerged as a commercial center in the 19th century, the city has always been a melting pot, drawing people from all over China and the world. Its port location and infamy as a commercial hub have attracted migrants from the country-side for decades. And since foreign companies were welcomed in the 1990s, the number of foreign visitors has ballooned. Today, there are at least 100,000 foreign nationals on temporary residence visas living in the city. Shanghai has long been known throughout China – and much of the world – as the nexus of East and West. Indeed, the city became known for its haipai (literally ‘ocean culture’) well over a century ago after the Treaty of Nanking, when the first British traders settled on a muddy riverbank along the Huangpu. The reputation of Shanghainese as welcoming to foreigners and foreign customs gained currency during the century of Western control over the city from 1841 to 1937, when the city was considered a foreigners’ play-ground. The Shanghainese are still proud of their international and cosmopolitan history, although Chinese from other parts of the country interpret this pride as arrogant, and even unpatriotic. On the other hand, other Chinese people can be considered by Shanghainese to be waidiren(outlanders) or tubaozi (country bumpkins). Indeed, many of the throngs of newcomers that have migrated to Shanghai over the past few decades have arrived from impoverished rural areas. First impressions often lead Westerners to falsely believe that Shanghai is a city blindly enamored by all things foreign. The common presentation of Shanghai as a rapidly Westernizing city where designer labels and KFC are the new face of the town is simplistic. There is a contrast be-tween Shanghai’s outward shell and the people that prop it up. Just scratch below the surface and the underlying adherence to Chinese tradition is obvious. Most Westerners with significant experience interacting with the locals will testify that there is far more to Shanghai than glittery new shopping malls and swanky restaurants. This stereotype has been exacerbated by the emergence of a relatively affluent middle class, comprising primarily white-collar middle man-agers, who go to great lengths to appear wealthy and Western. The business boom in Shanghai, both domestic and foreign, has made Shanghai quite wealthy by Chinese and even western standards. But this is an example of a superficial Shanghai masking a reality. Ordinary Shanghainese are better classified as residents of a developing rather than a developed nation. The government’s own figures, which are widely criticised as inflated, calculate the city’s average disposable income at around RMB20,000: higher than the national average, but not enough to compete in Shanghai’s inflated housing market. Many of the sleek apartment towers are owned by out-side investors or sit empty while rural migrants toil away during the night for a pittance to erect them as fast as possible.

🎯 For more relocation guides, download these apps for free to help you have a better life in your relocation city:
-Shanghai:
✅ Android:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-shanghai-relocation-guide/9p02cg0db5ms?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Beijing:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-beijing/9pdcfwjpl6jf?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Hongkong:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-hong-kong-20/9n6sxmhrs4n9?activetab=pivot:overviewtab
-Singapore:
✅ Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details...
✅ Microsoft store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/going-global-singapore/9p00sljl6zhd?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI Shanghai’s historical evolution from a sleepy fishing and textile port on the Yangtze Delta to a fully fledged world-class city has been formed by lucrative Chinese-Western trading relationships, cheap and plentiful labor from impoverished rural areas and the city’s relative peace compared with the rest of China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Shanghai emerged as a popular export center for the British East India Company in the 18th century as Chinese silk, porcelain and tea became popular in Great Britain. However, the isolationist Qing Dynasty had no desire for Western goods, thus creating an unacceptable trade imbalance. To rectify the situation, the British took advantage of the Chinese penchant for opium smoking by cultivating and importing a superior product from India. When China resisted by seizing the opium and restricting trade access, the industrialized British army overpowered the Chinese in what became known as the First Opium War. In the resulting 1842 Treaty of Nanking, the Chinese ceded Hong Kong and extraterritorial concessions in five cities, including Shanghai. The British named their new autonomous settlement along the Huangpu River the Bund, which was later consolidated with the American community to form the International Concession. The French and Germans also carved out sovereign concessions, where they were not subject to Chinese law and could trade freely. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, while most of China was suffering from internal conflict and poverty, Shanghai blossomed as foreign residents built up an impressive infrastructure. While the rest of China was entrenched in civil strife, Shanghai developed some of China’s best roads and hotels, its first gaslights, electric power, telephones and trams. The city continued to prosper throughout the first decades of the 20th century, welcoming Japanese, Russians and other Europeans, each bringing their own customs and culture. By the 1920s an

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI Shanghai’s historical evolution from a sleepy fishing and textile port on the Yangtze Delta to a fully fledged world-class city has been formed by lucrative Chinese-Western trading relationships, cheap and plentiful labor from impoverished rural areas and the city’s relative peace compared with the rest of China in the 19th and 20th centuries. Shanghai emerged as a popular export center for the British East India Company in the 18th century as Chinese silk, porcelain and tea became popular in Great Britain. However, the isolationist Qing Dynasty had no desire for Western goods, thus creating an unacceptable trade imbalance. To rectify the situation, the British took advantage of the Chinese penchant for opium smoking by cultivating and importing a superior product from India. When China resisted by seizing the opium and restricting trade access, the industrialized British army overpowered the Chinese in what became known as the First Opium War. In the resulting 1842 Treaty of Nanking, the Chinese ceded Hong Kong and extraterritorial concessions in five cities, including Shanghai. The British named their new autonomous settlement along the Huangpu River the Bund, which was later consolidated with the American community to form the International Concession. The French and Germans also carved out sovereign concessions, where they were not subject to Chinese law and could trade freely. Throughout the second half of the 19th century, while most of China was suffering from internal conflict and poverty, Shanghai blossomed as foreign residents built up an impressive infrastructure. While the rest of China was entrenched in civil strife, Shanghai developed some of China’s best roads and hotels, its first gaslights, electric power, telephones and trams. The city continued to prosper throughout the first decades of the 20th century, welcoming Japanese, Russians and other Europeans, each bringing their own customs and culture. By the 1920s an

PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF SHANGHAI

PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF SHANGHAI (PART 1) Becoming familiar with a new people and culture is one of the most exciting aspects of travelling and moving. With a population of over 20 million, Shanghai is one of the world’s biggest, most vibrant and most diverse cities. Getting to know and understand people in Shanghai will no doubt be a source of endless wonderment. On the other hand, it will also be a challenge that will require effort, patience, respect and, at times, a good sense of humor. Overall, Shanghainese are very friendly and welcoming to foreigners, eager to share their culture and learn from yours, and you won’t have trouble meeting new people and building short- and long-term friend-ships and business relationships. Before 1843, Shanghainese culture came from the ancient kingdoms of the Wu and the Yue, from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Since Shanghai emerged as a commercial center in the 19th century, the city has always been a melting pot, drawing people from all over China and the world. Its port location and infamy as a commercial hub have attracted migrants from the country-side for decades. And since foreign companies were welcomed in the 1990s, the number of foreign visitors has ballooned. Today, there are at least 100,000 foreign nationals on temporary residence visas living in the city. Shanghai has long been known throughout China – and much of the world – as the nexus of East and West. Indeed, the city became known for its haipai (literally ‘ocean culture’) well over a century ago after the Treaty of Nanking, when the first British traders settled on a muddy riverbank along the Huangpu. The reputation of Shanghainese as welcoming to foreigners and foreign customs gained currency during the century of Western control over the city from 1841 to 1937, when the city was considered a foreigners’ play-ground. The Shanghainese are still proud of their international and cosmopolitan history, although Chinese from other parts of the countr

COST OF LIVING IN SINGAPORE

COST OF LIVING IN SINGAPORE Being offered an expatriate position can come with an increase in both salary and benefits. As such, your time offshore is potentially a great opportunity to get ahead financially, as long as you avoid some of the common pitfalls. It is certainly a good opportunity to ensure that you have an up to date personal financial plan. Expatriates often presume that they have things taken care of without basing this on an in-depth financial review. Some individuals assume that their employer is taking care of, but when it comes to personal finances this is rarely the case. Any inefficiencies or shortfall in insurance arrangements or savings will come to light eventually; sadly sometimes when it is too late. ALL ABOUT PLANNING A good way of knowing if you are taking your finances seriously is to consider the last time you planned a holiday to some place new. If you spent more time reviewing destinations, flights, hotels and travel guides than you did reviewing your personal finances, then it might be time to conduct a careful review with someone qualified to advise you - and in most cases before you actually move offshore. Start by considering where you are today financially as this will help you identify the areas of highest priority. A good wealth manager will take time helping you get to grips with your current net worth and your savings habits, ensuring that your current arrangements will still be appropriate once you move overseas and that you are well positioned to make the most of your time offshore from a financial perspective. PLAN FOR THE FUTURE It’s important to match the picture of where you are today with where you want to get to in the future. This will help you to set financial goals, identify any shortfalls and then consider how and when to address these. Whilst expatriates typically earn more than their local counterparts, the fact they sometimes have mobile careers and can end up moving from place to place, or staying long

PEOPLE AND CULTURE OF SINGAPOREAN

THE SINGAPOREAN IDENTITY Singapore is one of Asia’s most multicultural cities. Its three main ethnicities are Chinese (75 percent), Malay (13 percent) and Indian (nine percent), but the country has a distinct cosmopolitan vibe. Westerners blend easily into this multi-ethnic mosaic, and can feel very at home here. Of Singapore’s 5.3million population, some 62 percent (3.25 mil-lion) are citizens – of whom some 23 percent were born outside the country –and the remainder, a little over two million, are permanent residents (PRs), foreign workers or students. This unique demographic is crucial to understanding the Singaporean national identity, which even Singaporeans have difficulty defining: “We are the only people in the world who have to say what we are not. We have to say, ‘Yes, I’m Chinese, but I’m Singaporean’; ‘Yes, I’m Indian, but I’m Singaporean.’ These things over-ride us and it’s going to take a long time before this unique Singaporean identity develops.” – Former president S.R. Nathan Religion and religious tolerance is also important in understanding the Singaporean identity: “Many faiths share this country, share this island. Each has different teachings, different practices. If we have to live together in peace, then all have to adopt ‘live and let live’ as our principle. We [the government] hold the ring so that all groups can practice their faiths freely without colliding with one another in Singapore. And that’s the way Singapore has to be.” – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong While secular by its own constitution, Singapore is a country of many faiths: Buddhism (33 percent), Christianity (18 percent), Islam (15 percent), Taoism(11 percent), Hinduism(5.1 percent). (See Practicing Religion in Singapore.) Some 17 per-cent of Singaporeans identify as having no religion. Language has also helped shape the Singaporean identity. There are four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil –with Englis

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