Where is the rivalry between Hong Kong and Shanghai contested ? Hong Kong and Shanghai are currently struggling for supremacy as the financial intermediary for China. But is there really a competition between the two cities? And in what areas: logistics, finance, or the establishment of headquarters for multinational firms? Certainly it is the apparent similarities of geographical location, prestigious pasts, and the special roles of these two urban centers that invite comparison. A more detailed examination, though, reveals that there is room for several international platforms on the Chinese coast. Rather, it is the surrounding regions – the delta of the Pearl River and the Yangtze Delta – that are in stiff competition. The two cities thus seem to be situated on different planes: serving the interior markets in the case of Shanghai and remaining a central platform for global exchange in the case of Hong Kong.