That might have been less about speaking freely and more about indirectly eliciting interest in Shanghai's comparative advantage, i.e. the so called more backward place has a bigger advantage to catch up due to the cheaper labor costs, etc.

The rule of law part might have been slightly off key, but that is still not out of party lines due to the passage of the WTO. The party members all know fully well that the rule of law will have to play a significant part when doing business with WTO members, especially in finance and insurance sectors. This in simply inevitable, but history still favor the established. Nevertheless, Hong Kong will never be Singapore or Tokyo just as Shanghai will never be Hong Kong.

China's fledging, more "democratic" rules of law now just excite those who have a pioneering spirit. Still quite wild, but not a problem for those with deep pockets. The low capital entrepreneurs just have to have patience for the long haul.

Instituting rule of law is one of the major slogans of the current leadership, and I saw rule of law mentioned in wall posters in Beijing, so the mayor is hardly sticking his neck out by praising it.