Urbanization in China - Examples from the Pearl River Delta - KFPE

PROGRAM “ECHANGES UNIVERSITAIRES”, founded by the Swiss Agency for
Development and Corporation (SDC)
Urbanization in China - Examples from the Pearl River Delta
The project in brief
Division
Development Cooperation
Country / Region
China / Pearl River Delta
Partners
Prof. Dr. Rita Schneider-Sliwa, Department of Environmental Sciences, Geography / Urban and Regional
Studies, University of Basel
and
Prof. Dr. Xue Desheng, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou
and
Mrs. Chen Wenjuan, Guangzhou Department of Urban Planning
Background
China is experiencing rapid economic growth with concomitant societal, regional and political changes. Such
changes open up many opportunities for foreign industrial investment but also allow for widening development
differentials within China’s urban industrial and rural areas. In 2007 University of Basel’s Department of
Geography/Urban and Regional Studies and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Guanghzhou’s
Sun Yat-Sen University agreed on visits to the Pearl River Delta and Switzerland, respectively, and to start
cooperating in field trips, field research, especially assistance to Chinese doctoral students coming to Germany
and Switzerland and Master theses for Swiss students who want to study urbanization in China’s Pearl River
Delta. At present, the KFPE program “Echanges Universitaires” funds these Swiss Master’s projects outlined
below.
Aim of the project
The theses deal with urbanization, commercial and industrial development at three different scales
• Micro-Scale of an urban village (Xiadu Urban Village). Urban villages are poverty areas within
modernized Chinese cities. Here, local communities subsist at poverty levels and with less standard
infrastructure than the rest of the city, and social fabric and local self organizing is trying to make up for
much of the deficits left by state or local government policies. The Master thesis of Patrizia Zanola is
devoted to the life in an urban village and self help organizations. This thesis will be supervised by
geographers and social scientists from Sun Yat-Sen University.
• Meso-Scale of an urban district. Using Guangzhou’s Haizhu District. Elizabeth Brencic portrays how
China is massively investing into districts of potential and building up modern, manhattanized
downtowns. This thesis will be guided by persons directly linked with the Urban Planning Bureau, as well
as with Sun Yat-Sen University’s Urban and Regional Studies Centre.
• Macro-Scale of metropolitan area development. The study of Michael Probst will be devoted to
analyzing the Master planning for building the first “twin global city” Shenzhen-Hongkong. This thesis
will be supervised by persons from the Shenzhen Urban Planning Bureau, a geography professor from
Hong Kong University and our contact partner from Guanghzhou University.

Project target
Promotion of cross-cultural learning and research in urban development planning. Fostering research skills of
young Swiss professionals in international contexts of Swiss national interest.
Target group
Young professionals working in international urban development; international urban planning community.
Duration
April 2009 to April 2010
Contact
Department of Geography/Urban and Regional Studies, University of Basel
Prof. Dr. Rita Schneider-Sliwa, Claudia Saalfrank, M.A.
Rita.Schneider-Sliwa@unibas.ch, Claudia.Saalfrank@unibas.ch
Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Geographical Science and Planning (SGSP),
Sun Yat-Sen University
Prof. XUE Desheng
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510275
eesxds@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Details of the Masters theses
4.1 Social organization in Urban Villages in the Pearl River Delta, South China. The case of Xiadu Village.
Master thesis by Patrizia Zanola in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Xue Desheng, Chairman Sun Yatsen University,
Department of Urban and Regional Planning with Prof. Dr. Li Zhigang and Prof. Dr. Rita Schneider-Sliwa
Objective. The study underlying this paper aims to investigate the impact of urbanization on the inhabitants of
urban villages, their state and condition and also their needs and wishes; and this on a micro level. The results of
the study are meant to give an idea about the inhabitants’ needs, and how they organize themselves to meet
these needs. Moreover, the study is intended to be a small contribution to current research in urbanization and
especially urban villages in Guangdong Province.
Xiadu urban village: Harsh contrasts as Waste disposal in Xiadu village Small lane in the old part of Xiadu
a consequence of urbanisation in Guangzhou
Main Research Questions of the paper:
• In what ways has urban planning affected the village and its inhabitants?
• How were the villagers and urban villages organized before they were surrounded by the city?
• How do the villagers organize themselves in terms of:
- Health care?
- Economics (income, expenses etc.)?
- Family structures?
- Education?
- Food and other necessities supply?

- Political structures?
• What is their living condition like if compared to other citizens and what is the position of official urban
planning/city administration?
• What are the urban villagers’ needs and wishes for the future and what is the role of official urban
planning?
With these research questions in mind it is the main aim of the paper to outline the current situation of the
inhabitants of Xiadu Village in Guangzhou, close to the Sun Yat-Sen University Main Campus. On the basis of
this analysis it is intended to identify central issues. The focus of the paper mainly lies in three points: current
state, challenges and perspectives of urban villages.
Relevance. The interest of scholars in urban villages and other manifestations of urbanization has lately grown all
over the globe. One of the reasons is certainly that urbanization is taking place everywhere, and that it is of great
interest how it proceeds and which challenges it brings along for society, politics, economy and environment. The
investigation of present conditions can give important information about future developments and how they
should be met. Therefore, it is necessary to examine these phenomena as soon as they emerge and try to
supervise them in order to be able to make predictions. Moreover, this topic is of importance since urban villages
are seen as a problematic issue in the context of China and hence also constitute challenges for urban planning.
It is necessary to carry out studies on a micro level to assist and accompany urban planning efforts. A further
point will be an analysis of the transferability of these suggestions in order to see whether the findings can be
applied to other examples or not.
4.2 The Modern Model of Urban Planning in Guangzhou. The case of Guangzhou’s Haizhu District.
Master thesis by Elizabeth Brencic in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Xue Desheng Sun Yatsen University, Department
of Urban and Regional Planning and Mrs. Chen Wenjuan, Guanghzou Department of Urban Planning, Haizhu
District Planning and Prof. Dr. Rita Schneider-Sliwa, University of Basel, Geography/Urban and Regional Studies
Objective. The aim of this Master thesis is to investigate and document how Guangzhou gained knowledge of
other countries as how to construct a new, modern Haizhu District and thus to avoid problems that have occurred
in the past of Western urban planning. The Guangzhou/Haizhu District planning is used as a (best practice)
model of urban planning which can prove to be interesting and instructive for further urban planning models. This
study is intended to be a contribution to current research in urbanization and international urban planning by
using Guangzhou’s Haizhu district as an example.
Map of Datang affordable housing community with Dong Feng village, Jude Garden
and other villages under construction.
High rise buildings in Jude
Garden
Main Research Questions of the paper:
• What aims have been set for the construction of Guangzhou's Haizhu District? What are the details of
the Master Plan?
• How is district planning decided upon?
• Which Western models – or others – were adapted (if at all) in the planning of Guangzhou's Haizhu
District? Why? Which types of Western models have served as best/worst practice cases for
Guangzhou’s Urban Planning Department?

• How will traffic problems, lack of green areas or insufficient public facilities be reduced? What are the
solutions to create a well-operating international metropolis?
• How does this process work politically? How does urban planning in Guangzhou get legitimized?
With these research questions in mind it is the main aim of the paper to outline the development of Guangzhou’s
Haizhu District. The focus of the paper mainly lies in three points: current state, challenges and perspectives of
Giangzhou's Haizhu District.
Relevance. Urbanization and industrialization are both topics that are of China’s daily focus. Urban planning is of
high importance in admiring general goals of economic growth development. A main issue is to develop areas in
order to make humans, nature and development profit better from the given space. This study will shed light at a
best practice approach using the Haizhu District as an example.
4.3 Metropolitan Planning for a Global Twin City: The Case of Hong Kong – Shenzhen.
Master thesis by Michael Probst in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Xue Desheng, Chairman Sun Yatsen University,
Department of Urban and Regional Planning with Michael Men, Shenzhen Urban Planning Department and Prof.
Dr. Rita Schneider-Sliwa
Objective. This thesis analyzes the urban and metropolitan planning concepts for the twin metropolis of Hong
Kong – Shenzhen. The following questions will be addressed:
● How does the Master Plan ‘plan’ for the global twin city?
● How are the sectoral plans for traffic, communication, energy, water supply etc. structured to achieve the aim of
integrating the two cities to become one large (twin) megacity?
● What main links and structures (traffic, communication, energy, water supply etc.) already exist between Hong
Kong and Shenzhen; how will they be integrated?
● How does the zoning plan structure for future commercial, industrial and high-tech economic development and
related population growth, housing, job and recreational needs?
● How do Special Area Plans fit in? Where are the areas of expansion?
● Will new structures replace old ones (structures will be pulled down)? What are the plans for relocating (old)
industries, commerce and people? What are the time frames of such plans?
● What will the main challenges be regarding the metropolitan area planning for the global twin city? What are
some solutions?
● Who are the actors (investors, planners and architects; developers)? Does Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
play a major role?
● How and to what extent is the state, private enterprise or public-private partnerships involved in planning,
investment and building?
● What role does the empty space play between Shenzhen and Hong Kong (particularly the Northern
Territories)? What role do the marshlands, natural reserves and present New Towns (ex. Tin Shui Wai) play in
this? What role does the northern hinterland of Shenzhen play in the relocation of dirty industries from
Shenzhen which want to turn their image from an industrial production site (work bench of the world) to a
modern high-tech metropolis?
City Hall of Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Relevance. The Shenzhen – Hong Kong Metropolitan Area is currently the only region in the world where a
global twin city is actually being planned. Given the massive focus on rapid urbanization in the PRD of China and

given the means of both the state and private enterprise levels, the means to achieve such ambitious goals exist.
China has extensive experience to plan and create megacities for millions of inhabitants. China and Chinese
planners are also taking active interest in studying and achieving foreign experience with urban concepts from
other countries. As such, the way the global twin city of Hong Kong – Shenzhen is being approached, proves to
be an international new model of urbanization from which both China and Western countries can learn.