Shanghai

Examines how governmental innovations in urban public policy have shaped Shanghai’s development and considers the challenges that Shanghai faces in light of its rapid growth.

Since the opening of Chinese markets in the 1970s, Shanghai has become a crucial international centre for finance and trade and has seen its population double to over 23 million people. This growth has coincided with both advancements and new challenges as local, regional and national goverments adjust to meet the city’s needs. Lin Ye and Huiping Li examine how governmental innovations in urban public policy have shaped the city’s evolution and consider challenges that Shanghai faces in light of its rapid growth, economic restructuring and technological advancement. For example, they consider how residential segregation and social stratification have resulted in unequal access to municipal services such as housing, transportation and education, and examine the interplay between local, regional and national governments and the increasing accumulation of power at local and regional levels. The authors also analyse inter-governmental collaboration and competition as well as Shanghai’s competitive relationship with other cities in South China such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The book shows how economic evolution has affected the city’s social and political climate and will prove to be a valuable resource for students and professionals interested in Chinese economic growth, public policy and governance.