There are two reasons for the streets renaming. First, in 1909, the Government started to name streets in Kowloon after major Chinese provinces that traded with Hong Kong, to recognise Hong Kong as a commercial port. The British colonial government in Hong Kong found the area of Station Street was as prosperous as Shanghai in China at that time while Hong Kong was having trade relation with Shanghai. Therefore, they renamed "Station street" to "Shanghai Street" on 19 March 1909. The second reason was that there was a street called Upper Station Street (差館上街) in Sheung Wan, in Hong Kong Island and it caused confusion with the one in Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok.