Expats see even more opening-up

Longtime residents witness change, but say country poised for even more

Longtime foreign residents in the Gubei area, one of Shanghai's largest expat communities, said they have witnessed marvelous changes in the district and its local citizens the past few years, changes that might be difficult to find elsewhere.

These residents are among the first group of expats to settle into their second homes in Shanghai, as the Gubei area, which is between the city center and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, was formed as the first large-scale international community of high standard in the country in mid-1990s.