Old and new maps take center stage in China's effort to lay claims to disputed territories.
China has begun issuing new passports with new map illustrations on them. National weather reports now cover an expanded geographic area.
Ramping up its effort to lay claims over disputed territories in the South China Sea and the Diaoyu Islands, the Chinese government has been organizing national archival exhibits, publishing new maps, pamphlets and illustrations and encouraging academic research to prove the authenticity of its claims, reports William Wan.
In retaliation, the Japanese government, which recently bought the Diaoyu or Senkoku Islands, as they are known in Japanese, from a private owner, has accused China of overlooking a 1950 Chinese map conferring ownership of the islands to Japan.
China maintains that its rightful ownership of the islands dates back to the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century.
Researchers at foreign universities believe the history of ownership is more complicated than what the maps show, while some Chinese academics think the international community will be more accepting of China's territorial claims if they can use opponent-produced evidence to make their point.
FULL STORY: China wages a quiet war of maps with its neighbors
Concrete’s Contribution to the Rise and Decline of Civilization
As the world becomes more encased in concrete, the detrimental effects of its widespread use are increasing in scale and severity.
As Temperatures Increase, Maps Show Sea-Level Rise Will Devastate Cities
Data visualizations illustrate the catastrophic consequences of single-digit global temperature increases.
UNESCO World Heritage List Welcomes New Destinations
Japan's Mt. Fuji, Italy's Medici Villas and Gardens, and a historical port town in Fiji are among the 19 new additions to UNESCO's vaunted World Heritage List; bringing to 981 the number of cultural, natural, and mixed sites comprising the list.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
