[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Mail]  [Sign-in]  [Setup]  [Help]  [Register] 

America Erupts… ICE Raids Takeover The Streets

AC/DC- Riff Raff + Go Down [VH1 Uncut, July 5, 1996]

Why is Peter Schiff calling Bitcoin a ‘giant cult’ and how does this impact market sentiment?

Esso Your Butt Buddy Horseshit jacks off to that shit

"The Addled Activist Mind"

"Don’t Stop with Harvard"

"Does the Biden Cover-Up Have Two Layers?"

"Pete Rose, 'Shoeless' Joe Reinstated by MLB, Eligible for HOF"

"'Major Breakthrough': Here Are the Details on the China Trade Deal"

Freepers Still Love war

Parody ... Jump / Trump --- van Halen jump

"The Democrat Meltdown Continues"

"Yes, We Need Deportations Without Due Process"

"Trump's Tariff Play Smart, Strategic, Working"

"Leftists Make Desperate Attempt to Discredit Photo of Abrego Garcia's MS-13 Tattoos. Here Are Receipts"

"Trump Administration Freezes $2 Billion After Harvard Refuses to Meet Demands"on After Harvard Refuses to Meet Demands

"Doctors Committing Insurance Fraud to Conceal Trans Procedures, Texas Children’s Whistleblower Testifies"

"Left Using '8647' Symbol for Violence Against Trump, Musk"

KawasakiÂ’s new rideable robohorse is straight out of a sci-fi novel

"Trade should work for America, not rule it"

"The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court Race – What’s at Risk for the GOP"

"How Trump caught big-government fans in their own trap"

‘Are You Prepared for Violence?’

Greek Orthodox Archbishop gives President Trump a Cross, tells him "Make America Invincible"

"Trump signs executive order eliminating the Department of Education!!!"

"If AOC Is the Democratic Future, the Party Is Even Worse Off Than We Think"

"Ending EPA Overreach"

Closest Look Ever at How Pyramids Were Built

Moment the SpaceX crew Meets Stranded ISS Crew

The Exodus Pharaoh EXPLAINED!

Did the Israelites Really Cross the Red Sea? Stunning Evidence of the Location of Red Sea Crossing!

Are we experiencing a Triumph of Orthodoxy?

Judge Napolitano with Konstantin Malofeev (Moscow, Russia)

"Trump Administration Cancels Most USAID Programs, Folds Others into State Department"

Introducing Manus: The General AI Agent

"Chinese Spies in Our Military? Straight to Jail"

Any suggestion that the USA and NATO are "Helping" or have ever helped Ukraine needs to be shot down instantly

"Real problem with the Palestinians: Nobody wants them"

ACDC & The Rolling Stones - Rock Me Baby

Magnus Carlsen gives a London System lesson!

"The Democrats Are Suffering Through a Drought of Generational Talent"

7 Tactics Of The Enemy To Weaken Your Faith

Strange And Biblical Events Are Happening

Every year ... BusiesT casino gambling day -- in Las Vegas

Trump’s DOGE Plan Is Legally Untouchable—Elon Musk Holds the Scalpel

Palestinians: What do you think of the Trump plan for Gaza?

What Happens Inside Gaza’s Secret Tunnels? | Unpacked

Hamas Torture Bodycam Footage: "These Monsters Filmed it All" | IDF Warfighter Doron Keidar, Ep. 225

EXPOSED: The Dark Truth About the Hostages in Gaza

New Task Force Ready To Expose Dark Secrets


Status: Not Logged In; Sign In

Economy
See other Economy Articles

Title: More Deflation signs: China's Ghost Towns
Source: Worldbank.org
URL Source: http://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/node/526
Published: Aug 16, 2010
Author: Holly Krambeck
Post Date: 2010-08-16 14:23:54 by Nebuchadnezzar
Keywords: None
Views: 9939
Comments: 18

Rise of the Chinese Ghost Town Submitted by Holly Krambeck on Mon, 2010-07-12 11:17

In Chenggong, there are more than a hundred-thousand new apartments with no occupants, lush tree-lined streets with no cars, enormous office buildings with no workers, and billboards advertising cold medicine and real estate services – with no one to see them.

As my colleagues and I wandered, on–foot, down the center of Chenggong’s empty 8-lane boulevards and dedicated bus lanes, never seeing a single person, we marveled about the fiscal and political conditions that would have to exist to create something like this.

In February this year, Geoff Dyer wrote an article for the Financial Times, “China: No One Home”, in which he chronicled the eerie emptiness of this new town development near the city of Kunming, in southwestern China. He wrote: “Construction started in 2003 and the results are now apparent in 13 immaculate local government buildings, each clad in marble tiles. A high school boasts an impressive indoor swimming pool and several of the region’s main universities have built large campuses. Pristine high-rise apartment blocks stand in rows, their new windows glinting in the subtropical sun.

The one drawback: at the moment, Chenggong is almost completely empty. Its wide streets are all but bereft of traffic, a bank branch has no customers and leaves collect in the foyers of the municipal offices.”

In June, I accompanied a World Bank mission to Kunming, where the Bank is supporting the development of a new light rail system. Upon learning that two stations had already been built in Chenggong, my colleagues and I just had to go see for ourselves -- just what does a modern Chinese ghost town really look like? Well, here it is.

Chenggong springs from a typical development pattern seen throughout the country – cities that are rapidly growing in population and becoming increasingly congested develop satellite towns far from the urban core, relocating university, government, or other uses to kick-start the new town’s development.

It is hoped that these new towns will, in addition to alleviate urban congestion, spark further in-fill development in the expanse of farmland that sets the new town apart from the city center – a kind of pre-planned suburban sprawl. Funding for these new towns comes from the difference paid to compensate farmers to relocate (a calculation based on potential agricultural yields) and the substantially higher revenue generated from leasing the same land to developers.

So, while the development pattern is typical, the unusual feature about Chenggong is the stalled occupation. It seems, according to one local, Kunming government officials, surprisingly, do not actually want to relocate to this empty suburban town, and there are rumors that the multiple blocks that comprise the new government center will be scrapped and sold to private entities. But these are just rumors. In reality and in all likelihood, after the light rail lines are completed, it will not be long before Chenggong bursts into life, giving this ghost town its chance to live.

Chenggong’s interesting planning history and future aside, since this is a transport blog, let’s take a look at what has been built here and imagine, if the town were ever populated, what it would be like to get around. First, let’s take a look at these satellite images (taken more than a year ago) of the Chenggong government center (above) and a housing complex to the west of the center (below).

The landscape is characterized by long, 450-meter blocks, gated communities with limited access points, expansive intersections that may be challenging to cross on foot, and a segregation of uses that may require residents to travel great distances to work, buy rice, and to go out for romantic dinners – and compete with other residents for road-space, since the mega-block urban design requires everyone to funnel into the exact same roads. My gut tells me this is a worrisome pattern -- though, I haven't seen traffic forecasts or density plans, so I cannot say for certain what will come to be.

What you cannot see in these images are the new light rail stations (not supported by the Bank) that seem to be placed at a distance from development, in the center of an eight-lane boulevard that can only be safely crossed by bridge. I undestand the stations will not accomodate substantial scooter or bicycle parking, which means they would only be accessible by bus -- I hope this is not the case, where every light rail trip will require at least one transfer…we will see what happens.

The idea of Chenggong is in many ways a planner's dream -- here is a place where the local government had full development rights over a tremendous expanse of land and a seemingly limitless budget. They had the resources to build multiple light rail station connections and the power to move tens of thousands of government workers to this far-flung satellite. And the result....the result could be best characterized as a beautiful monument -- lush, imposing, impressive. Can this be a good foundation upon which to build a vibrant urban fabric? To give this ghost town a chance to live? Only time will tell.

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 3.

#1. To: All (#0)

I suspect China is in worse trouble than the US.

Nebuchadnezzar  posted on  2010-08-16   14:24:17 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#2. To: Nebuchadnezzar (#1)

So where is the evidence of deflation?

Any empirical evidence? (That's right, your dreams don't count.)

Capitalist Eric  posted on  2010-08-16   14:27:36 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#3. To: Capitalist Eric (#2)

Any empirical evidence? (That's right, your dreams don't count.)

More insults from the king Troll.

Go away Eric. I don't care for any input you have.

Nebuchadnezzar  posted on  2010-08-16   14:29:41 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


Replies to Comment # 3.

#4. To: Nebuchadnezzar (#3)

Many of these 'towns' were built by US business owners as a requirement by the Chinese for moving their operations there. Often the requirements were to build now to accompany future expansion of the work force and population, as well as the high expectations (and pocketbooks) of the local Chinese bureaucrats, so lots of empties are fairly normal.

Reading between the lines and doing a little research would not hurt you one bit Nebby.

mininggold  posted on  2010-08-16 15:13:03 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


End Trace Mode for Comment # 3.

TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Mail]  [Sign-in]  [Setup]  [Help]  [Register] 

Please report web page problems, questions and comments to webmaster@libertysflame.com