The immense and continuing challenge of urban governance: Developments in Australia and across Greater China

Abstract

The article describes the long history of urbanisation, including developments in four jurisdictions – three in Greater China (the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and Australia. While each has its own history, all now face challenges associated with continuing urbanisation and the growth of very large cities. There are broadly similar economic forces at work, but differences in scale and differences in the “growth machines” involved and the institutional arrangements within which urban governance operates. The article explains the growing importance internationally of urban governance and the growing interest in the “performance” of cities. The authors then set out two case studies describing developments in urban governance around Shanghai and around Sydney. In both cases, the scale of big city growth is demanding both horizontal and vertical coordination, and processes that facilitate citizens and civil society participation. While the very different institutional arrangements in these jurisdictions have led to different urban governance arrangements, there are common challenges that have led to some common governance developments such as having a lead government with citywide and comprehensive public service responsibilities, and also having the national government play an increasingly active role in support.

The challenge of allocating resources for an effective health system in China

“…Yangtze River Delta is a major government initiative to integrate both social and economic development in four provinces in the region (i.e. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui) (Podger et al 2020). Occupying only 4 per cent of the total area of the country, the YRD was home to about 230 million residents, or about 16.7 per cent of the total population in China in 2020, up from 15.7 per cent in 2006.…”

“…The YRD economy is hence larger than other major economic regions in China. Based on a national government guideline on regional development, the core area of the YRD includes Shanghai and 26 out of 40 prefectural level cities in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui (Podger et al 2020). After the release of the 2019 national guideline for the integration of the YRD, all four major provinces released their own action plans and named their offices responsible for regional development.…”

‘One country, two systems’ in transition

“…Similar strategies were also mapped out for the Yangtze River Delta region, led by Shanghai, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city region. These megaregional strategies have reflected the central government's increasing attention to so-called 'new-type urbanisation' and readiness to assume more responsibilities in coordinating the planning and development of these city regions (Podger et al 2020). The difference of the Greater Bay Area strategy is that it also has a political mission of fulfilling 'one country, two systems'-bringing Hong Kong and Macau onto the track of regional and national development.…”