| Geez, I think people should give Jian Shuo a break on this one! From what I understand, all he is saying is that just because Shanghai might superficially look similar to other cities such as New York (which I don't think it does at all besides the height of its buildings, but anyways), doesn't mean the same processes are at work. "And the image people see from outside is misleading". Basically, the political-economic forces that have driven the recent urban redevelopment of Shanghai are drastically different than those that produced New York, let's say. Just because Chinese cities have skyscrapers and elevated highways should not lead people to assume they are becoming 'western', or following any sort of western logic. New York is a monument to American-style capitalism and private money, while Shanghai is much more the result of a deliberate push by the Chinese STATE in the 1990s to project wealth, success and the "New China", as much to its own people as to foreigners. Pudong is harldy a free-wheeling capitalist financial centre- it was a master-planned, central gov't-driven project designed to impress. Do you think it's an accident that Lujiazui's 'landmark' skyline seems designed solely to be looked at from across the river? I'm definitely with Jianshuo on this one. Great observations. |
Shanghai Looks Similar to US, But...