Everybody is aware by now that the major Chinese cities are changing and developing fast. Beijing is metamorphosing in anticipation of the 2008 Olympics. Shanghai has been transformed by the emergence of Pudong and is preparing for the 2010 World Expo. Smaller mega cities such as Shenyang are also changing fast.
In the eighties, the best hotel in Shenyang only carried three stars, located off the main square with the large Mao statue. The square and the Mao statue are still there, but the center of town has moved to another, larger, more modern square. One of the best hotels in town, the Shenyang Lido Sheraton, is located on the outskirts of the city.
Following the demise of the state-owned enterprises, Shenyang and the North-east hinterland, the center of China's Manchuria, has lagged behind, plagued by inertia and high unemployment. This now also belongs to the past. Shenyang has become a dynamic city, with modern apartment buildings and new economic development zones.
Visits of foreign dignitaries are still rather sparse, so even Prince Filip of Belgium received a royal welcome in the city, shutting down major intersections when his motorcade flashed by. Tomorrow we'll see whether his welcome was worth it.
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