The title of the business capital of modern day China undoubtedly belongs to Shanghai. Ever since its division to English, French, American and Japanese concession areas, it has been under constant foreign influence. Due to the detrimental effects of international sea trade, the city became the playground of gangsters, who ran brothels, opium houses and gambling parlors for decades to come. Fortunately, by the middle of the 20th century, the Chinese government managed to lay its hands on this counterculture; they eradicated the slums, rehabilitated the hundreds of thousands of opium addicts, and prohibited child and slave labor for good, turning this once beautiful city around. Since then, Shanghai’s progress has been unstoppable. Today, it is the homeland of expatriates; resulting in a mixed international ambience.