Greater Shanghai has always been a metropolis where international businessmen gather.

The land of Shanghai was formed in the recent geological history. More than 6,000 years ago, only Qingpu, Songjiang and Jinshan in the west of Shanghai were basically landfilled. These land areas belong to the lake marshes (especially the areas around Qingpu and Songjiang) and lakeside plains formed after the shallow siltation of ancient Taihu Lake. From that time until the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty in the Central Plains, the land during this period was formed very slowly, 3,000 years ago, most of the western part of Jiading, Minhang, and Fengxian was formed. At this time, the rest of the world, including the downtown area, was still below sea level. The prehistoric period mainly relied on archaeological excavations to understand human life and the development of civilization at that time. According to the available archaeological results, the earliest civilization in Shanghai was the Majiabang culture (6,000 years ago). Then there is the Songze culture (5500 years ago), and in the spring of 2004, the archaeological excavation of the tombs of the Songze culture in Qingpu found the earliest human remains in Shanghai. Then there is the Liangzhu culture (4,200 years ago), which was quite developed in the late period, and is most famous for its jade. Majiabang-Songze-Liangzhu culture has a relationship of inheritance. The Liangzhu culture has reached the late stage of primitive society. The Liangzhu culture declined rapidly. Shanghai was established in the third year of Xianchun in the Southern Song Dynasty (1267 AD), built in the 32nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1553 AD), and opened after the Opium War in 1842, and then developed into the leading international city in the East in the first half of the 20th century, and then to the current re-prosperity. Just as most of Shanghai has changed from the sea to the land, Shanghai's changes can also be called the history of "vicissitudes of life".

In the 1990s, Shanghai re-established itself as China's most important economic, financial and trade center. In 1993, Pudong was developed and opened up, which accelerated the speed of urban development. At present, the annual per capita GDP growth rate is more than 6%. At present, Shanghai is moving towards the goal of becoming one of the international economic, financial, trade and shipping centers. The construction of the Pudong-Puxi link also marked the development of Shanghai and laid the foundation for the common prosperity of both sides of the Pujiang River. On December 1, 1991, the Nanpu Bridge, the second bridge across the Huangpu River in Shanghai, was opened to traffic, and in October 1993, the Yangpu Bridge was completed and opened to traffic until the completion of the Lupu Bridge on June 28, 2003, and there were already 6 bridges on the Huangpu River; At the same time, in September 1970, the Dapu Road Tunnel was completed; On October 24, 1989, the Yan'an East Road Cross-River Tunnel was opened to traffic, and on September 29, 2003, the Dalian Road Tunnel was opened to traffic. In November 1994, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower was completed. On March 18, 1999, Jin Mao Tower was officially opened for business; In August 1999, the Shanghai International Convention Center was opened.

Since the opening of Pudong, Shanghai has hosted many important international conferences, which has increased its international influence and also demonstrated the rapid economic and social development of Chinese mainland. On October 21, 2001, Shanghai hosted the Ninth Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting.

On 15 June 2006, the sixth meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was held in Shanghai. In addition, a large number of large and small exhibitions with various themes are held in Shanghai every year. The exhibition industry has become one of the important industries in Shanghai.

In 2008, the flattened Shanghai World Financial Center became the tallest building in Chinese mainland.

On November 4, 2009, the Information Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government announced that the application for the Shanghai Disneyland project had been approved by the relevant state authorities. Construction began the following year.

On November 15, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama visited China for the first time, with the first stop being Shanghai. While in Shanghai, Obama gave speeches and spoke to Chinese youth.

On April 30, 2010, the World Expo opened in Shanghai, which was the first World Expo to be held in China, and ended on October 31.