Relativizing State Space: Deciphering China’s New Dynamics of Urban Transformation Engineered through the Creation of National New Areas

Abstract

Abandonment of the taken-for-granted attitude of territoriality in the studies of state space has been followed by diverse concerns and competing interpretations with different focuses notably on state–market relations, spatiality of social life, and relativization of scale. Inspired by Lefebvre’s spatial triad, applied textual analysis, and in-depth interview, this study critically evaluates the Chinese practices of setting up National New Areas to reshape the trajectory of urban and regional development using the Liangjiang National New Area (LNNA). Our research foregrounds the relativizing dimensions of state space in which the creation of the LNNA was conceived, perceived, and lived by key stakeholders holding different positions and vested interests. The LNNA is the spatial manifestation of the special vision and mission of China’s national developmental agenda and the adjustment of power relations within an authoritarian Party-state. However, it is a controversial project which requires negotiation, contestation, and reconciliation among grassroots people. This study shows that even in China, there existed pervasive negotiation and resistance from diverse stakeholders from the bottom up. Our research suggests an alternative perspective that goes beyond the popular dichotomy of state–market or society–space relations in the studies of state space and takes seriously the dialectical relations among the forces at work in the (re)production of state space.

The construction of urban cultural and creative industries using deep learning and information management

“…Numerous cities in China confront varying degrees of transformation and development, posing a significant challenge to the nation's social advancement. Urban transformation encompasses diverse modes, including ecological city models, smart city paradigms, cultural innovation frameworks, circular economy strategies, and more [ 17 ]. Despite their diversity, these modes share a common objective: diminishing the predominance of traditional industries in urban economic frameworks and transitioning towards the ascendancy of emerging industries [ 18 ].…”

Does energy-environmental efficiency benefit from advanced policy zones? Evidence from national new zones of China

“…In addition, national new zones may provide tax incentives to encourage high-quality firms to enter the area, which not only helps to improve the industrial structure and raise technology levels but also increases the level of capital and energy agglomeration. In addition, the corresponding settlement and talent introduction policies also attract a large concentration of quality labor (Chao 2022), increasing the scale efficiency of production.…”

“…When setting the year to establish national new zones, we consider those zones approved by the central government in the first half-year to be established one year before the approval, and those approved in the second half-year to be established in the year of the approval. This is because most of the national new zones are established through the bottom-up process of local government application and the central government's approval, and local governments may know whether they can establish a national new zone before the official approval is granted, and carry out related construction work in advance, resulting in the national new zones actually functioning earlier than the time announced by the central government (Chao, 2022). Fig.…”

“…The implementation of these policies has helped to reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution by increasing the level of green innovation and other means (Feng et al 2017;Shen et al 2020;Yuan and Zhang 2020), while also laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic development (Kong et al, 2014). Since the approval of the establishment of the Shanghai Pudong New Zone in 1992, national new zones, as a broad functional area shouldering the strategic task of national major reform and development and innovative institutional mechanisms, have driven regional economic growth (Chao 2022) and improved land use efficiency (Huo et al 2022;Yang et al 2019). In the context of green development, the following questions draw our attention:…”