The banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai are fairly undeveloped, seen from a window at the Fairmont Peace Hotel in the spring of 1979. [Photo by Adriano Madaro/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Skyscrapers rise above the Huangpu River, as seen from the rooftop of the Fairmont Peace Hotel, Aug 19, 2018. [Photo by Zhu Yaozhong/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Students wait for a school bus in Beijing, 1979. [Photo by Adriano Madaro/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

 

Students peer at their mobile phones while waiting to cross the road at Dongdaqiao in Beijing's Chaoyang district, Sept 18, 2018. [Photo by Wu Hong/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

 

An old fashioned sailboat is seen on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, 1980. [Photo by Bruno Barbey/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A cruise ship makes its way past the modern skyline on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, Aug 14, 2018. [Photo by Qin Zhiyuan/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]