Urbanization and China: Mr. Wu Jiang from Tong Ji

Again from the Three on the Bund talk, but this time it's Wu Jiang,
the vice president of Shanghai Tongji University. His talk was a bit
more exciting, but mostly because I can understand what he's saying.
His lecture raised a very important issue facing china in the recent years
and will amplify exponentially in the years to come. China is rapidly
urbanizing, but in a very unique situation. China is the most populous
nation, but it isn't the biggest. China's man to land ratio is
significantly smaller than other nations. Wu Jiang also raises the
concern that China's urbanization is a very inorganic one. China does
not grow on its own terms, but tries very hard to emulate European and
American cities. Chinese urbanization is drastically different from
the path western cities took, and according to Mr. Jiang, following
that route will be disastrous for not only China, but the other
eastern countries beginning to urbanize as well.



One of the most important factors China needs to consider during its
urbanization is the sheer density of its population. Chinese cities
will face a density unlike anywhere else. The corollary to this is
that the Chinese people all dream the suburban dream of America homes,
with their front yards and back yards, a nuclear family, with two and
half kids frolicking through the sprinklers. The truth is this is
impossible for China. There is too many people and too little land.
China now needs to look towards solving the problem of a previously
undefined level of density. This hyper-density requires an entirely
new form of architecture, one that solves it issue of space, yet not
sacrificing but to create a new sense of luxury.

The second most pressing issue facing China's urbanization is the
drastic difference between China's richest and China's poorest. The
difference can be seen clearly on a day to day basis. In Shanghai, it
is quite obvious who's from Shanghai, who's not, and who probably
never seen any building above three stories in their life. The people who
are pouring into the city are living the same way they do in the
country side, but in an urban setting. All the spitting, the pushing,
and other behavior that seems inappropriate for the city, are very much
normal for most of China's population. Because of the rapid
urbanization, most of China cannot even begin to change their ways to adapt to city life. What we end up with is a city on the surface, but underneath, plagued by a series of problems beginning first and foremost with
China's people problem.


China's future is undoubtedly bright, but its modernization and
urbanization faces unprecedented difficulties. The people of China need to realize that their situation is qutie unique, and by simple emulation will not suffice in the future. Solving the pressing problem of
urban density and rapid cultural revolution will not only help China,
but also set a precedent for may other nations that are sure to
follow.