The mostly unfamiliar cities of China's vast inland territories are growing at an exponential rate, attracting global businesses, infrastructure investment, and residents in search of opportunities.
It has a population larger than that of New York City, and its GDP is expected to double in five years. With business booming, China's city of Wuhan, located about 750 miles deep into China's hinterland, is seeing explosive growth, putting a strain on its infrastructure and environment. NPR's Frank Langfitt reports, "A variety of factors are driving that growth, everything from cheap land prices and low-cost labor to the tremendous demand for infrastructure...These days, the city feels like an open construction site as the local government tries to put in its first three subway lines. Many citizens can't wait."
Wuhan's evolution into a metropolis is similar to that of many other inland Chinese cities. Seen as a place for business to escape the increasingly expensive east coast cities, like Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, inland cities are attracting both rural Chinese, who continue to flock to cities, and, increasingly, foreigners. Lower costs for business are giving incentives to foreign firms to move to inland China. "U.S. companies in Wuhan include the giant engine manufacturer Cummins, General Electric and TRW Automotive. According to Corum, they will soon be joined by General Motors," says Langfitt. "The French automaker Peugeot-Citroen has two factories in Wuhan. Pfizer has a research and development facility here as well."
Still, the rapid development hasn't been without problems. With a single light rail line, Wuhan's traffic is horrendous. Also, "[e]arlier this summer, a yellow, post-apocalyptic smog enveloped the city," reports Langfitt, "sparking fears that there had been an industrial accident." And for some residents, says Langfitt, Wuhan still cannot match the high life in the more cosmopolitan and developed east coast.
FULL STORY: Wu-Where? Opportunity Now In China's Inland Cities

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie