TOWER: Shanghai Tower is now China’s tallest skyscraper and the world’s second – at least for the time being. At 2,073 feet or 632 meters, the tower in Luzjiazui received its last beam in April but it won’t be officially completed until late next year when it will be Asia’s tallest building. The current tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 2,716.5.
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METAL HEADS: Heavy metal fans in China finally got a chance to see the legendary band Metallica perform at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Pudong for two nights in August. It was the band’s first appearance in China and tickets for the first show were sold out in minutes.
SOLD: Christie’s conducted its first auction in Shanghai in late September where they sold works from Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, plus fancy wine and jewelry. It was the first time for the New York-based company to conduct an auction in mainland China without a local partner. Christie’s said its three days of events including a private sale and auction that netted RMB154 million (US$25 million).
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PIGS: After stories about dirty hot pot eateries and dirty air, Shanghai residents had to worry about their drinking water after 16,000 pigs ended up in the Huangpu River in the spring. Some reports say farmers throw dead pigs into the river because it’s cheaper than incineration. FAST LANE: Celebrities were on hand for the grand opening of Lane Crawford’s RMB400 million, 150,000 sq ft flagship store on Huahai Road in October. The Hong Kongbased retailer said it’s the company’s largest store today and twice the size of its branch in the IFC Mall. It occupies four stories and offers products from 500 international brands including clothes and jewelry.
WELCOME: Pudong International Airport may be far from the city but returning home has one advantage: the visa check was ranked the fastest in the world, according to the Airports Council International which tested 100 major airports. Terminal 2 can accommodate up to 90 passengers a minute with 47 booths, reports say.
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NEXT STOP: In November, General Motors Co. said it will shift most of its non-Chinese international headquarters next year from Shanghai to Singapore but added the Shanghai office will remain open with about 250 employees to serve its largest car market. The Singapore office oversees the Asean market, Africa, India, South Korea and the Middle East.
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