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Mayor Jiang realizes that Shanghai cannot live up to Deng's dream without first tackling its urban problems. The priority, says Jiang, will be "the development and construction of our infrastructure." His task should be made easier by a complaint made by his predecessor, who governed Shanghai for five years. When Premier Zhao Ziyang visited the city in late 1984, he criticized its mediocre economic performance. Mayor Wang responded that Shanghai was forced to give almost all its revenues to Peking, retaining about 14%. Zhao allowed Shanghai to keep 23.5% in 1985, and in 1986 its share will rise to 25%.
Jiang also apparently believes that Shanghai cannot reach its economic potential by relying solely on its manufacturing strength. As factories multiply around China, Shanghai can no longer expect first choice of raw materials from distant provinces. A blueprint for Shanghai's future was drawn up in late 1984 by top economists and planning experts, emphasizing high-tech industries, banking and foreign shipping. Peking also approved in February a regional plan that places Shanghai at the center of a network for distributing goods and services among east China cities. Some Shanghainese interpret the decision as a vote of confidence that their city can meet Deng's ambitious expectations.
Jiang seems confident of succeeding. "When confronted with difficulties, an enterprising man must push ahead, not retreat," says Jiang, chopping the air with his hand. History supports Jiang's optimism: during the past 100 years, Shanghai has responded well to economic incentives. Though the city retains little of the sparkle that won it the nickname "Paris of the East" in the 1920s, some of the spirit that once drove Shanghai can be seen on bustling Nanking Road, the city's main shopping street. Shoppers dart in and out of stores famed for carrying the widest array of consumer goods in the country. Clothes, shoes and other local products are in plentiful supply, as are imports such as Sony cassette recorders and Casio calculators. Any city that so enjoys the fruits of the new prosperity has an ample stake in seeing Deng's reforms succeed. --By James Kelly. Reported by Jaime A. FlorCruz/Shanghai, Richard Hornik/Shenzhen and Luca Romano/Chengdu