In September 1990, an arched road sign decorated with outspread “wings” in Pudong’s Gaoqiao Town was particularly eye-catching. The arch led to the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, the first bonded area in the Chinese mainland featuring free trade, bonded warehousing and export processing. Thus, Waigaoqiao became a symbol of Pudong’s opening up and development. Twenty-three years later, in September 2013, the characters on the sign were replaced by China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Since then, Shanghai has set off a new wave of pilot free trade zone construction.

(The Shanghai Waigaoqiao Bonded Area was launched in September 1990 as China’s first bonded area.)

(The iconic road sign leading to the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in September, 2013)