Most people living in Shanghai are convinced that this is the most civilized city on the mainland and the one that provides the highest quality of life. Although civility, a precious commodity across the mainland, is not found in abundance in Shanghai, the city has become appreciably kinder and gentler since it hosted the World Expo in 2010.

It is encouraging that the promotion of civility by the Shanghai government was not a one-off effort. Building on the improvements made during the Expo, the government has stepped up efforts to enhance civility and social harmony through public education, enforcement and infrastructure development.

Indeed, quality of life is a key issue in the government's long-term plan to re-establish Shanghai as a world city that can attract much needed talent in finance and other sectors of the service industry on which Shanghai's future is to be built. But so far, the only thing world-class in Shanghai is, perhaps, its infrastructure. The city has enough super-highways and elevated flyovers at key intersections to ensure a smooth enough traffic flow at most times of the days. There are parks and green areas aplenty. What's more, the government must be commended for its efforts in preserving many old landmark structures that are said to be burned into the collective memories of the native Shanghai people. Some of these structures, including those along the Bund area fronting the Huangpu River, are world famous. But there are also many old buildings and mansions in the old French quarter that are endearing mainly to native Shanghai people and valued by connoisseurs for their architectural quaintness.