Shanghai government's plan shows by including quality of life services in the new cities such as "schools, hospitals and cultural centers," people will leave urban areas and move toward the suburbs.
"The goal for the Songjiang New City, the biggest among the seven new cities, was to have as many as 1.1 million residents in an area of 120 sq km by 2020. Population targets have been set for six other new cities as well."
"'The urban plan for new cities in the suburbs of Shanghai fits the city structure well by having resources divided reasonably to relieve the crowded city center by encouraging people to live in the suburbs,' said Li Tianhua, registered urban planner for the Shanghai Urban Planning and Design Research Institute."
