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Shanghai, trust and confidence growing on every corner.

Frans Vandenbosch 方腾波 10/05/2026

China is safe

Two weeks ago I already noticed it, but I’m still so surprised about this phenomenon that I want to show more photos of unguarded parcels on pavements, this time not on Yongjia Road, not at midnight, but in the wider area around central Shanghai, in plain daylight.
As I wrote before: hundreds of parcels waiting for distribution, simply waiting on the pavement. No one even thinks of stealing anything. On a busy afternoon street in Shanghai, piles of packages rest openly, not because anyone forces them to be left alone, but because hearts are honest. Chinese people simply don’t take what isn’t theirs; that quiet integrity runs deeper than any lock or law. On the sunlit pavements of this vast city, a stack of parcels is not a temptation but a silent understanding between strangers. This is the everyday miracle of China: ordinary folks choosing kindness and respect, even when no one is watching. Those parcels wait for their owners not out of fear, but because trust is the warmest light, whether at midnight or midday.

Strolling along the Shanghai streets

There’s no street without trees in Shanghai. If you take a stroll down almost any street in Shanghai, you will find yourself shaded by the same stately tree: the London plane, known scientifically as Platanus × acerifolia and called the French sycamore or 悬铃木 by locals. This magnificent species, with its mottled, peeling bark and broad, maple like leaves, dominates the city’s central districts, making up roughly 70 per cent of all street trees there. Within the area enclosed by the Outer Ring Road, its share is still substantial at nearly half. The Platanus is so closely associated with the city’s boulevards that it has become an emblem of old Shanghai, casting dappled light onto pavements and providing welcome relief from the summer heat.
However, the plane tree does not stand alone. Its most frequent companion is the camphor tree, Cinnamomum camphora (香樟), a glossy leaved evergreen that accounts for about 27 % of trees inside the Outer Ring Road. Beyond these two, you will also encounter a handful of other species planted on particular streets to create seasonal variety. These include the golden rain tree, the ancient Ginkgo biloba 银杏 (yín xìng) the soapberry, the bishop wood and the Chinese sweet gum(Liquidambar formosana Hance 楓香 fēngxiāng) .
Together they paint Shanghai’s streets in shifting colours, from the fresh greens of spring to the fiery yellows and reds of autumn. And while the Platanus will long remain a beloved favourite, the city’s forestry department is now deliberately introducing a wider range of species, aiming to craft a richer and more resilient urban forest for the future.

Laughter, chatter, and even singing reached my ears. That got me thinking: what is it that makes all these Chinese people appear so authentically joyful?

Dog socialising park

Jialanting Pocket Park 嘉澜庭口袋公园 has become a go-to spot for puppy socialisation and advanced proofing precisely because it’s a real-world, off-leash-friendly environment. Young dogs learn proper play manners, reading other dogs’ body language and building confidence, all while owners get to chat and share tips. It is not a formal training ground, but for many Shanghai pet parents, it’s the next best thing: a community-driven social club for dogs and people alike. The coffee shop (“Pocket Coffee”) doesn’t hurt either

Coffee at Yongjia road

Food, dinner, lunch, coffee, dessert, fruit

Last week in Shanghai was pure culinary bliss! I tucked into colourful, crisp stir-fries, succulent glazed pork and rich, velvety tomato soups at cosy restaurants, followed by sun-kissed ripe mangoes and a creamy fruit dessert. Evenings wrapped up with smooth, aromatic coffee, making every bite feel like a little celebration of flavour and joy. There’s nothing that can beat real Chinese food.

The new hairstyles in China

Shanghai’s streets are alive with a bold new trend in youth hairstyling. Bright yellow, neon orange, and stark white wigs sit alongside medical-style head wraps, far from the subtlety of “Milk Tea” (奶茶色系 ) tones or “Frosty & Ash”(灰冷色系) shades. These styles nod to anime and cosplay culture, echoing the visual drama once found in punk or goth aesthetics. While they make for eye-catching street scenes, I find the trend unsettling. It often leans into caricature rather than creativity. Its over-the-top, sometimes insensitive styling can feel disrespectful to Chinese cultural aesthetics and traditions.

Tong Yan Tang wellness studio grand opening

Tong Yan Tang, a new wellness studio in Shanghai, blends traditional Chinese medicine with modern care. Its services span acupuncture, moxibustion, tuina massage, cupping detox, stone therapy, and paediatric care, focusing on meridian balance and natural healing. The studio’s opening promotion highlights accessible wellness packages, though its focus on needle and non-needle therapies caters to diverse needs for tension relief and holistic health. To celebrate its launch, enjoy an exclusive neighbour’s offer: just 98 yuan unlocks four premium treatments (including a meridian check, expert consultation, targeted therapy, and herbal heat compress) worth over 450 yuan.

Quiet courage at the crossroads

In China, public same-sex affection isn’t illegal, but it challenges traditional norms. It still is socially conservative territory, but quietly more visible than a decade ago. I respect both that complexity and I respect their courage.

No license plate

In Shanghai, driving a new car without any licence plate is illegal. However, a temporary paper plate (临牌) serves as a legally recognised preliminary permit before the permanent metal plate arrives. This temporary plate is displayed inside the windscreen and rear window. It is valid for either 15 days (for local driving) or 30 days (for cross‑province travel). Authorised car dealers or government vehicle offices issue them for a nominal fee. While this system may seem unusual from a European perspective, it provides a traceable, regulated period for vehicle registration and delivery.

Before even obtaining a temporary plate, one must first secure a licence plate quota through a monthly online auction. In April 2026, nearly 39,000 bidders competed for just 3,874 quotas (licence plates), with the average winning bid exceeding 94,000 RMB (about €12,000). This has earned Shanghai plates the nickname “the world’s most expensive piece of tin”. The auction revenue is legally required to fund public transport improvements. For owners of pure electric vehicles, a free green plate is available without auction, offering a notable exception to this unusual, stringent system.

This license plate was auctioned in 2017 for 13.8 million CNY (1.72 million EUR). In 2023, the license plate was sold for 15.8 million CNY (1.97 million EUR) via a company sale. The current market value is estimated at ~18 million CNY (~2.2 million EUR).

A tribute to courage: the May 30 monument in Shanghai

The May 30 Movement Monument, located in People’s Park (Renmin Park) in central Shanghai, stands as a stark tribute to the 1925 anti-imperialist protests. The rugged, abstract sculpture captures the defiance and resolve of workers and students who fought against foreign oppression. The inscribed calligraphy, by Chen Yun, anchors the work in China’s revolutionary memory. Designated as a Shanghai Martyrs’ Memorial Facility, this site preserves the courage of those who stood up for justice, reminding visitors of the movement’s role in shaping modern Chinese history and the enduring legacy of resistance against colonial power.

What you have seen in this article (the trust, the trees, the courage, the coffee, the quiet order of a million daily choices) is not accidental. It is the fruit of roots planted long ago.

Whilst Europe’s liberties wither on the vine, here in China we breathe a sweet and honeyed air of peace and harmony, where the fruits of freedom and democracy ripen in unbroken sunshine, a gentle feast that makes the West’s bitter autumn all the more sorrowful to behold.

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Dit artikel in het Nederlands: China reis 2026 – deel 6