First cable car across Shanghai’s Huangpu River jointly developed by builder Hongkong Land expected to be completed in three years, official says
- The cable car ‘can create a new level of excitement and adventure’ for both locals and tourists, party secretary of Shanghai’s Xuhui district says
- Cable car to link Hongkong Land’s West Bund Financial Hub project with Pudong district
“The cable car will facilitate transport between the Puxi area on the western bank of the Huangpu and Pudong on the eastern side, and can create a new level of excitement and adventure for both Shanghai locals and tourists from around the world,” Cao Liqiang, the party secretary of Xuhui district, told the Post on the sidelines of an investment promotion briefing held recently in Hong Kong.
The cable car project, called “The heart of Huangpu River”, will link the West Bund Financial Hub project in Xuhui district on the west bank with Expo Cultural Park located in the Houtan area of Pudong district.
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The project will comprise around 660,000 square metres of offices, 210,000 square metres of retail space, 170,000 square metres of luxury residences, 55,000 square metres of five-star hotels, a 30,000 square metre convention centre and 10,000 square metres of sports facilities, according to the Hong Kong property developer.
“West Bund Financial Hub is expected to become an international financial centre, as well as an incubator of art and culture, and a tourism destination,” said Ling Changfeng, executive director of China Property at Hongkong Land.
The cable car will cross the Huangpu River, which is as wide as 700 metres in certain spots, at its narrowest part on a river bend, according to a planning map released by Xuhui district. Its detailed design, the total investment involved and pricing have not been revealed yet.
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“With the completion of the first cable car crossing the Huangpu River, we will see a new level of integration between the two sides, and it will become a landmark for the city,” Ling said.
Xuhui district, in the southwestern part of Shanghai, is home to the French Concession. Governed by France from 1849 until 1943, the area is well-known for its tree-lined boulevards and well-preserved architecture. It is currently home to more than 3,400 foreign companies and 145 multinational headquarters and research-and-development facilities, including McDonald’s flagship store and its China Food Innovation Center, as well as Danish toymaker Lego Group’s China headquarters.
Last year, Xuhui district gained foreign investment of 1.24 billion yuan, up 31.9 per cent year on year, the biggest increase among all districts in Shanghai.
