Shanghai(out of stock)

Shanghai has experienced two decades of rapid economic and social development since launching the development of Pudong in 1990. The city is now on its way to becoming a world city, which was one of the goals in developing Pudong. Focusing on the recent implementation of various mega projects in Shanghai, such as a deep-water port, railway networks, and the 2010 World Expo, this paper analyzes their impact on Shanghai on three different levels, i.e., local, regional, and global. It shows that by implementing these mega projects, Shanghai has realized spatial restructuring and is creating a new urban landscape, which is positive for the future development of the city. Regionally, Shanghai has expanded its transportation linkages in the Yangtze River Delta region, come up with a rational regional division of labour with neighbouring cities, and dealt with many other regional issues that can facilitate regional integration and consolidate Shanghai's dragonhead role. Globally, a better image, good infrastructure, and global networking can enhance the ability of the city, along with the Yangtze River Delta region, to participate in global economic activities. Nevertheless, Shanghai not only needs to develop its "hardware" but also achieve actual strength in its "software" in order to become a world city, particularly if it is aspiring to become one of the top cities in the world. Only when an international standard of "software" is reached, can Shanghai further attract an inflow and agglomeration of global factors of production. On the other hand, these mega projects could very possibly stand as landmarks to Shanghai’s rise to become a new and great world city.