An Analysis Of The Economic Relationship Between Jiaxing And Shanghai During The Republic Of China (1912-1937)

After the opening of Shanghai in 1843,by virtue of its comprehensive economic and geographical advantages,Suzhou gradually replaced the position of economic center in Jiangnan region,but also replaced the status of Guangzhou foreign trade center,China’s modern foreign trade as the largest port and multi-functional economic center city.Against this background,Jiaxing’s economic relations with Shanghai have also undergone a major transformation.During the Ming and Qing periods,Jiaxing and Shanghai were basically in an equal economic position,both around the development of Suzhou,the capital city,Jiaxing and Shanghai,there is only a single type of smaller commodity exchange.Since modern times,with the rise of Shanghai’s economy,the traditional economic center cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou in Jiangnan have gradually become secondary center cities around Shanghai’s development and exposure to Shanghai radiation.Jiaxing also in Shanghai’s economy under the attraction,radiation,from Suzhou tight type to Shanghai tight type.By the time of the Republic of China,Jiaxing area had become one of Shanghai’s direct economic hinterlands,and the relationship with Shanghai was a typical vassal economic relationship.In addition,compared with the economic ties between Jiaxing and Suzhou and Hangzhou in the Ming and Qing periods,the economic ties between Jiaxing and Shanghai are closer in modern times.Especially since the Republic of China,the development of transportation and the smooth flow of information channels between Jiaxing and Shanghai have greatly facilitated the flow of goods between the two places,and promoted the exchange of people,capital,information,technology,production equipment,ideas and way of life between Jiaxing and Shanghai,and the material exchange between Jiaxing and Shanghai has also shown the characteristics of diversification and scale.With the gradual strengthening of economic ties between Jiaxing and Shanghai,under the attraction and radiation of the Shanghai market,Jiaxing has become the primary raw material origin of Shanghai’s modern machine silk industry,and the supply of consumer agricultural products.Although Jiaxing also accepted the radiation of Shanghai’s modern factors and began the modern transformation,because of Jiaxing’s traditional economy conservatism,Jiaxing was still a production-oriented area based on the development of agriculture and primary handicraft manufacturing during the Republic of China.