▁by ▁Sh ant ou ▁convers ely . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁inv aded ▁the ▁county ▁town ▁of ▁Ch eng hai . ▁Japanese ▁force ▁occupied ▁Ch eng hai ▁until ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁The ▁Commun ist ▁People ' s ▁Liber ation ▁Army ▁captured ▁Ch eng hai ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁ 2 3 ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁was ▁founded . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁on ward , ▁Ch eng hai ▁was ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁a ▁county - level ▁city ▁and ▁was ▁administr ated ▁by ▁the ▁Provin cial ▁Government ▁directly ▁( c ust ody ▁by ▁Sh ant ou ). ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Ch eng hai ▁was ▁absor bed ▁as ▁a ▁district ▁by ▁Sh ant ou . ▁Ch eng hai ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Sh ant ou ▁Special ▁Econom ic ▁Zone ▁on ▁ 1 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁ ▁Ch eng hai ▁has ▁a ▁sun ny ▁climate , ▁with ▁plenty ▁of ▁ra inf all , ▁belonging ▁to ▁south ▁subt rop ical ▁mon so on ▁climate . ▁Control led ▁by ▁cold ▁high ▁atmos pher ic ▁pressure ▁from ▁the ▁polar , ▁winter s ▁are ▁dry . ▁Sum mers ▁are ▁ra iny ▁with ▁high ▁temper atures . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁ ▁Ch eng hai , ▁with ▁a ▁deep ▁cultural ▁tradition , ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the