Pathways to a World City: Shanghai Rising in an Era of Globalisation

In a globalising world, cities at or near the apex of the international urban hierarchy are among the favoured few—New York, London and Tokyo—that have acquired large economic, cultural and symbolic roles. Among a handful of regional aspirants, such as Hong Kong, Miami and Sao Paulo, Shanghai has reasonable long-term prospects. If the Chinese economy can sustain its growth rate, it will rival the US in a few decades. And if Shanghai is able to retain its pre-eminence in the Chinese context, then it is likely to be the East Asian city with the best prospect of becoming a global centre. This paper briefly explores the makings of a world city, identifies certain necessary ingredients, examines Shanghai's recent development, indicates national and municipal policies that may determine Shanghai's pathway to a global city and shows how such policies are being implemented.

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