Shanghai

Shanghai is China's largest city and its foremost financial and commercial center, a truly global metropolis on the East China Sea coast. With a metropolitan population of around 25 million, it blends colonial-era waterfront architecture with some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. The climate is humid subtropical, bringing hot, humid summers and cool, damp winters. Its iconic sights include the riverside Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower in Pudong, the classical Yu Garden, and the bustling Nanjing Road. Local cuisine is known for xiaolongbao soup dumplings, pan-fried shengjianbao, and sweet red-braised pork. Shanghai runs one of the world's largest metro systems, two international airports, and high-speed rail to the entire country. For an international student, Shanghai offers world-class universities, a huge international community, and endless opportunity, balanced against a fast pace and the highest living costs in China.