For many years the Huangpu River has been lost at the heart of Shanghai. Relegated to being nothing more than an inconvenient waterway between Puxi and Pudong to be traversed either without seeing it at all underground or far above on one of Shanghai¡¯s mammoth bridges. This is in stark contrast to the days when the Huangpu River was firmly at the forefront of everything.

Things changed. By the time the city reopened for international business in the late 1980's the river was of little interest. Today the river barely features in the scheme of things for most foreign businesses. Those that have to get from one side to the other curse it as they queue to get through the tunnel. Shanghai is nothing if not a dynamic city. Things are changing again. Now buyers pay extra for a flat with a river view, new offices alongside the river are on the market and World Expo in 2010 will straddle the river. Plans by the Shanghai government to redevelop both banks of the Huangpu River look set to revitalize the spiritual centre of the city