Chinese Imperial Shanghai-Nanking Railway - 1903 dated £100 British Pound Uncanceled Bond - China

Chinese Imperial Railway - Shanghai-Nanking Railway Gold Loan. 5% £100. Always has paper tears. 

The Shanghai-Nanjing (Nanjing) Railway, a project born out of 19th-century Western interests, aimed to connect Shanghai’s port to Jiangsu province’s inland capital. Initially blocked by the Qing government due to concerns over sovereignty and feng shui, the project gained momentum after China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. In 1903, the Qing court signed a loan contract with the British and Chinese Corporation. Construction commenced in 1904 under the supervision of British engineers Sir John Wolfe-Barry and Arthur John Barry. The line officially opened to traffic in 1908, with Shanghai North Railway Station serving as its eastern terminus.

Throughout the 20th century, the railway played a crucial role as a vital artery. However, it suffered significant damage during the Japanese occupation in 1937. During the Republican era (1928–1949), when Nanjing was the national capital, the section was known as the Jinghu Railway. Post-1949, the line underwent extensive modernization. Double-tracking was completed in 1976, and the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge opened in 1968, finally connecting it to the northern network. In 2007, the original conventional line was integrated into the Beijing–Shanghai Railway. A dedicated Shanghai–Nanjing Intercity Railway opened in 2010 to handle high-speed passenger traffic at speeds up to 350 km/h.

Article relating to this Chinese item: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-29/trump-s-new-trade-war-weapon-might-just-be-antique-china-debt