Shanghai must learn a lesson in conservation from Europe

What struck me most during my first year working in Europe is how European cities, in stark contrast to Chinese cities, have preserved their architecture, streets and neighborhoods. From Brussels, where I am based, to Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Madrid and Amsterdam, it's easy to read a city's history from its buildings and streets, many of which date back centuries.

That is true of many Belgian cities, too, which I discovered after visiting cities such as Bruges, Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent and Dinant. The list is long and many towns and smaller cities are often more charming in terms of history and local culture.

The well-maintained cobbled streets in many European cities and towns remain only in memory for people in Shanghai, where they made way for asphalt concrete roads decades ago. Similarly, many historical structures and neighborhoods have made way for modern buildings and communities.