Chinese Urban Transformation

12Hefei: Towards an Innovative City

Hefei, like Nanchang, is not an especially well-known city but is more representative of the experience of the majority of China’s urban dwellers. In 2016 China had an urban population of over 800 million while its five largest cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Guangzhou) accounted for only 77 million, or less than 10 per cent of the urban population.

Most Chinese cities, like Hefei, must make their way according to national directives and with lobbying from the city upwards find their own niche following the prevailing priorities. Hefei is a city earmarked for ‘innovation’, with a transition from economic development based on primary and low-end secondary manufacturing to high value-added, ...