Masthead header

by
Source: Demographia World Urban Areas: Population & Projections: 6th Edition. http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf
 

I have a new piece up at NewGeography about China’s rising urban areas. Below is an excerpt from the introduction:

From a Rural to Urban Dispersion in the Middle Kingdom

China’s rise to economic prominence over the past 30 years has rested in large part to its rapid   urbanization. Prior to ‘reform and opening up’ that started in earnest during the 1970s, cities in China were viewed as pariahs by the party leadership. Millions of young urban dwellers were forced into the countryside to labor on farming communes during the Cultural Revolution. In stark contrast, today millions of rural migrants make their way to the city.

The scale at which this is happening is unprecedented. Currently, there are 85 metropolitan areas in China with more than 1 million people, compared to 51 in the US. By 2015, urban regions will account for half of China’s population and by 2025, the urban population’s share should reach about 75%. View full post »

by Posted in Beijing,Changchun,Chengdu,Chongqing,Dalian,Dongguan,Guangzhou,Hangzhou,Harbin,Kunming,Nanjing,Shanghai,Shenyang,Shenzhen,Suzhou,Taiyuan,Tianjin,Wuhan,Wuxi,Xi'an

by Adam Mayer

add a comment

by

It’s been a rough start to the summer season for provinces in central and southwest China. Torrential rain and floods have affected millions, destroying crops and forcing many to evacuate their homes. Chengdu was largely spared any flooding up until this past Sunday when a heavy storm dumped on the city.

The storm blew out power lines while the flooded streets created traffic chaos throughout the city. My colleague took some photos of the flooding near his apartment in the low-lying southern part of Chengdu. View full post »

by Posted in Chengdu,Environment,Infrastructure,Rural Development,Western Development

by Adam Mayer

add a comment

by

Credit rating agency Moody’s recently released a report claiming that Chinese financial auditors have understated local government debt by half a trillion dollars. This is no small estimate, and the thought of so many non-performing loans on bank balance sheets is enough to make any seasoned investor bearish on China.

Of course, the majority of debt is fueled by lending that is going to local provincial and municipal governments and developers to fund new infrastructure and building projects. Banks are making these loans because of direct orders from the top-level of China’s central government. These orders were stepped up significantly after the 2008 world financial crisis to keep the country’s growth engine humming along as the export market fell off a cliff. View full post »

by Posted in Housing,Infrastructure,International Trade,Macroeconomics,Real Estate,RMB Value,Wuhan

by Adam Mayer

add a comment

by

Photo by bennettdesign

China’s ambitious high-speed rail program inaugurated perhaps its most important line yesterday: Beijing to Shanghai. The train made its debut on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the founding of China’s Communist Party with Premier Wen Jiabao onboard declaring the line ‘in operation’.

The trip linking China’s two largest cities takes just under 5 hours and scheduled trains will make stops along the way in Tianjin, Jinan and Nanjing. View full post »

by Posted in Beijing,Infrastructure,Jinan,Nanjing,Shanghai,Transportation

by Adam Mayer

add a comment

by

Back in December we mentioned the plans to build a supertall building in Wuhan (Wuhan To Get World’s 3rd Tallest Skyscraper) but had no further information about the design. Now we have confirmation that Chicago-based architecture firm and supertall building experts Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill have won the competition to design the Greenland Center in Wuhan.

According to the press release, the Greenland Center is set to rise to a height of 606 meters (1,998 feet), making it a the third-tallest building in China and the fourth-tallest in the world. The developer, Greenland Group, previously worked with Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill on another supertall tower in China, the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center. View full post »

by Posted in Architecture,Real Estate,Wuhan

by Adam Mayer

add a comment