Symbolic cities and the ‘cake debate’ Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba Story Yearbook is available online: www.TheChinaStory.org

Excerpt from Ch i n a Sto ry Ye a r b oo k 2012

Edited by Geremie R. Barmé

with Jeremy Goldkorn Carolyn Cartier and Gloria Davies

Australian Centre on China in the World

ANU College of Asia & the Pacific Canberra, Australia 2

© The Australian National University (as represented by the Australian Centre on China in the World)

This publication is made available as an Open Educational Resource through licensing under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 Australia Licence: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/au/deed.en

Note on Visual Material All images in this publication have been fully accredited. As this is a non-commercial publication, certain images have been used under a Creative Commons license. These images have been sourced from flickr, and the owner of each original picture is acknowledged and indicated in the source information.

ISBN 978-0-9873655-0-7

First published in August 2012 THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT FOR SALE

Published by: Australian Centre on China in the World The Australian National University

Edited, typeset and illustrated by Markuz Wernli Design Works Printed by Blue Star Print Canberra, Australia

The Australian Centre on China in the World is an initiative of the Commonwealth Government of Australia and The Australian National University Symbolic Cities and the cities provide the most spectacular evi- dence of China’s transformation. New urban ‘Cake Debate’ landscapes punctuated by landmark skyscrapers Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba proclaim the country’s rapid development and modernisation. Since 1978, over 500 new cities have been built and constructing them has been 2 a major social and political achievement as well as a major driver of economic growth. The process has also dispossessed millions of rural landholders without due or sufficient compensation, resulting in tens of thousands of protests in recent years. In historic cities, displacement of long-established residents and the replacement of socialist-era housing and factories by sleek office buildings and shopping malls also demonstrate the changing economic functions of the city and throw up new social and economic issues. Moreover, the design and development of cities is a highly competitive process. Key Communist Party officials stake their careers on the ‘quality’ of urban development in the cities in which they govern. They do so not only as a matter of governance but also to manipulate the symbolic significance of the cities in their charge for the sake of their own political advancement, as a kind of personal exercise in ‘branding’. CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 33 32 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba to the world economy in the 1980s based on export manufacturing and gional capital of the region, which led China’s opening re the and province of capital provincial the is development goals. and planning major serve that economies diversified politan areascomprising groups of citieswithcomplex governments and massive conurbations and urbanizing regions – large and growing metro of centres are cities Both coast. south the on Guangzhou and China west cial and economic development in China during 2010-2012: in Two citieswere at theforefront of debates over national directionsinso Source: MultimediaServices, ANUCollegeofAsia&thePacific Map 1:Guangzhou,Guangdong Province - - - local media, led by the South- and in the areaof politics.Its innovatorsboth economically where local officials have been cent decades,hasbeenaplace tradition. It is a city that, in re city that boastsanearly liberal Canton) is an historic trading merly known in English as (for- Guangzhou trajectories. national different define tially nomic development. leading roles in national eco and promote their relatively civic pride of their residents, capital, bolster the loyalty and domestic andinternational istics. Thisisdoneto attract edly outstanding character - that focuses on their suppos aprocess ‘image engineering’, has beendriven by extensive ies innational development prominence of thesetwo cit of western China.[Map2]The velop thevast inlandregion current national focus to de city and at the forefront of the major newest China’s is qing . [Map1]Chong- adjacent from inflows capital These two cities poten------( Red, Strike Black’ ‘Sing visible highly Xilai’s with Party. nist Commu the within afuture have still may form re political and ideas liberal that sign a possible and Model, Guangdong the for avictory as this saw commentators Some officials. villagenew of an with democratic apparently election settled ofvillage Wukan in successfully was Guangdong the government andbetween of residents the ing government-backed industrial enterprises. support economic inequalities, and aggressively and social addressing environment, urban the ing includingurban and improv economic planning, in state the for role arenewed emphasizes trast, The Chongqingeconomic growth. Model, by con especially for private enterprise, and prioritizes liberal of interpretation the market economy, GDP. by measured as province richest China’s is dong is home to million about eighty people and Guang while million, thirty nearly of a population with urban administrative biggest China’s is Chongqing 2007. since province Guangdong of Secretary Party Yang, Wang by and (2007-2012), Chongqing of city the of Secretary Party as ure ten his during Xilai Bo by promoted variously approaches They refer topolitical-economic two communications. official in occasionally and dia me the in popularized been have that terms are The and the Guangdong Model and the Guangdong Model T of a Chongqing Model. viability the on doubt 2012 cast March mid in tary Secre Party as ouster Bo’s Model. Chongqing the support to continued believed), be to are reports and many citizens of Chongqing (if some media censorship), state by silenced was website lar such asMaoists the Utopia group (whose popu neo- leftists, including justice, social broad of or organizedsocieties’ crime. Various advocates ‘black on crackdown a sustained and era, Mao ous communist propaganda reminiscent of the changhong dahei changhong he Chongqing Model The Chongqing Model was associated closely grievance along-standing 2012, February In The Guangdong Model promotes a more

唱红打黑

) campaign: vigor ) campaign: ------CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 35 34 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba heartland and a major center defence of industries. Mao-era During 2010- provincial capitalof province, Chongqing is partof theChinese the , Like 1997. in ) and (like municipality level ince, from which it was administratively severed to become a provincial- different setof characteristics that relate to thehistory of Sichuan prov- entirely an represents Chongqing contrast, In journalism. investigative ern Media Group, has a national reputation for quality reporting and Source: MultimediaServices, ANUCollegeofAsia&thePacific Map 2:Chongqing changhong dahei (changhong Black’ Strike Red, twin campaign, ‘Sing city on the color-coded ofretary Chongqing, had built the image of the removed in March 2012,BoXilai, the Party Sec- urban modernity. Before he was sensationally production – to present a vision neo-socialist of organisation‘red politics’andthesocialist of culture’, ‘red – past ‘red’ its on boldly draw to national image continued 2011, Chongqing’s of household registration (hukou registration household of housingprogramplans; these included the low-cost andtheextension government by central office, took Bo before Chongqing in established associated withthe modelwere notunique to Chongqingandhadbeen good and correct government. In fact, some social and economic policies cal interests. Theuseof theword ‘model’inChinahistorically connotes ciation with writings produced by scholars affiliated with New Left politi- as asymbolic discourseemployed by theChongqinggovernment inasso the ChongqingModelasasetof economicandpolicyconditionsemerged ways been more complex than the media coverage suggested. The idea of ‘Chongqing Model’.Yet boththeideaandrealityof themodelhadal- qing inMarch2012saw thenational mediahastily declaretheendof the The removal of BoXilai from hispositionas Party of Secretary Chong- T city’s notorious organised crime. Black’ referred to afar-reachingpolicecampaign aimedat tacklingthe ‘Strike past). revolutionary country’s the about stories and books (films, patrioticMaoist-era and political songs, aswell asthe study of ‘redclassics’ This included literal singing,including mass choralrenditionsof popular rural areas. urning RedChongqingGreen 户口

唱红打黑 ) permits to migrant workers from ). Source: on thestreetsofChongqing. Gingko trees 2 December2009 Chongqing Morning Post Morning Chongqing

, - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 37 36 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba cor) have for years been the city’s most common shade tree. In 1986, (Ficusla - banyans great and cities’ ‘oven or ‘furnaces’ China’s of one water behindtheThree Gorges reservoir Dam. tending the benefits of the economic boom inland, as well as managing the sible for coordinating theGreat Western Development planaimed at ex respon- cities’ central ‘national five of one it named government central the 2010, In east. the in ValleyYangtze Lower the and China western in Yangtzethe of reaches upper the between hub trans-shipment the is qing and Beijing, Shanghai). A river port at a major confluence of the with River, Chong- (along municipality provincial-level fourth schools. urban residents, providing them access to housing, local healthcareand endorsed Chongqingfor itscommitment to treating migrants like other predictably – factories Delta River Pearl its in disputes labor publicized highly weathered years recent in has that companyTaiwan a – Foxconn manufacturer multi-national The economy. consumer the energizing for encourage rural-urban integration as a basis plemented household registration reform to com- schemes housing The provinces. fifteen vincial-levelmunicipalities in cities major and ment affordable housingfundsinthefour pro imple to 2007, in announced first plan, tional to demand. Both schemes arepart of the na- dents, to beallocated by alotteryinresponse ple, orthirtyto forty percent of urbanresi- two million more low and middle income peo enough publicrental housingto accommodate apartments, followed in2011by aplanto build ten million low-income rental and subsidised In 2010,Chongqing announcedplansto build In ,summer continental airmassesmake Chongqing China’s as Chongqing established government central the 1997, In - - - Source: cq.gov.cn A citylogopromotedonChongqing during BoXilai’srule. municipal governmentwebsites -

vourite: thegingko. the banyan fell into abeyance and was replaced by a new arboreal fa- incoming Party of Secretary Chongqing. With Bo’s arrival in Chongqing lian city, governor of province, and Minister of Commerce, the , former Mayor of Da- ganisation Committee named Communist Party Central Or- That was the year that the 2007. after updated not was yan as the City Tree, however, web page featuring theban- a spate of road widening.The historic banyan fell victimto ings were demolished and the build- urban of swathes 1997, qing asanewcity-regionin Chong- establish to Beijing in tree. Following thedecision which mentions thebanyan the Classics of the Waterways fifth- century text Commentary on the cites website The indigenous to western China. to gardeners worldwide, is (Camillasinensis ), known lia camel- flower, the official The City Flower andtheCityTree. features a page devoted to the ofChongqing website official The the city. of tree official the banyan was namedthe

dence specified on their on specified dence resi without of area the to back migrants documentation proper send to empowered office zhou police-operated repatriation station, an aGuang in death to beaten was designer, graphic move away their from home careers. to start who graduates and workers migrant by powered is that economy an to unsuited and unfair both is live away from the place of their their of place the from away live to want who migrants case, the longer no is this ried, change jobs or even get housing. Although to ability movepeople’s to another city, get mar cial benefits. Critics argue that the the that argue Critics benefits. cial so other and care medical obtaining into and school children their getting difficulties extreme The The ( Household Registration used in pre-modern times, and the the and times, pre-modern in used registration. A form of family registration was about China whether should abandon the will be abolished in the near future. future. near the in abolished be will the that unlikely is it 3), Chapter (see times being a of top the governmentpriority in recent maintenance’ ‘stability with but controls, of ening loos some been since has There entirely. system Weekly Before the 1980s, the the 1980s, the Before apply to passports. and cards ID as such documents individual for the for and benefits, social incident, reported by the influential influential the by reported incident, A status. residential mother’s the on based birth, after soon istered Republic today. A person’s Aperson’s today. Republic People’s the in use in still is practice, the of lation reformu socialist and a modernized is which tem, hukou In 2003, Sun Zhigang, a young migrant migrant ayoung Zhigang, Sun 2003, In hukou newspaper, led to a vigorous debate

户口 is a residency permit or household household or permit aresidency is or or huji

hukou 户籍 hukou ) hukou is necessary to receive is necessary

hukou system restricted restricted system documents. The The documents. hukou is usually reg usually is hukou hukou Southern Southern still face face still system system hukou hukou sys ------

CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 39 38 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba an emphasis ontheparticipation of large numbers of peopleand policies one year, 100 years’ worth of trees in ten years.’ Other similarities included voluntarist movement: Chongqing should plant ‘ten years’ worth of trees in earthquake, was amere150million yuan. Wenchuan2008 the after priority a – area Chongqing greater the in schools the city’snewtrees.By contrast, that year thebudget for renovating rural came at aprice: in 2010 alone ten billion of thelocalenvironment.characteristic’ Such audacious urbanafforestation motorwaysqing’s are lined with gingko trees, now described as a ‘unique an aggressiveof China’smostfamous‘hillcity’.Today, re-landscaping Chong- Source: On 2March2012, of NormanBethune’,afamousessaybyMaoZedong. and alsoreeledoffbyheartpassagesfrom‘ Bo reportedlyspokeaboutthePLAmartyrLeiFeng, to agroupofdoctorsonthe‘spiritcommunism’. lished afront-pagestoryaboutspeechBoXilaigave Bo’s rhetoric bore the hallmarks of political campaign a Maoist-era or Chongqing Evening News Evening Chongqing ews N vening E hongqing C he T emory In Memory pub-

Chongqing, the new city of west appointment as Party of Secretary formation of Dalianprompted his and Bo’shighmarks for thetrans successful urbanmanagement, of Chinesecitiesisan indicator of nist Party the modern appearance its improvement. For theCommu- nered international attention for the environment of thecitygar- of thebusinessdistrict. As aresult, ed an ambitious greening program landscape in a process that includ- lian, Bo Xilai remodeled the city’s or of thenortheastern cityof Da- During hisprevious tenure asMay- at a city and judge it by how it it how by looks’, hedeclared.Heundertook it judge and city a at look ‘investors – impress to aimed egy of creating anurbanlandscape China, to which he took his strat yuan (US$1.5 billion) was spent on on wasspent billion) (US$1.5 - - Rineiwa slogan ‘A City Called Spring’ ( Spring’ Called ‘A City slogan ( Shanghai: roadside billboards hung and posters up by neighbourhood committees. ter ‘chun’ ‘chun’ ter the masses are as bright as snow’ snow’ as bright as are masses the four words to epitomize the ‘Beijing Spirit’ ( Spirit’ ‘Beijing the epitomize to words four of choice the to leading 2.9 words, reports, uplifting and official appropriate of to arange on voted According Beijingers million propaganda. Party traditional of tone sober the with keeping Amo of rous Groans’. ‘City meaning, as slogan their rendered effectively This sex. during make women sounds Inclusiveness and Virtue ( andInclusiveness Virtue and . Xueliang yanjing Xueliang company, Glasses (the slogans forSnow-bright Beijing-based advertising used contraction-style have companies decades, recent In 1920s. early the in Shanghai in founded being since ex pressions shorthand and slogans featured has propaganda Party Communist slogans. pithy of for the to mulation itself lends and contractions written and verbal for allows readily language Chinese The C ingly oblivious to the fact that ‘to call spring’ ( spring’ call ‘to that fact the to oblivious ingly 昆明天天是春天 蓝天碧海金沙滩 世界的重庆 永远的三峡 know China ( Chinaknow don’t you Chongqing, to been never you’ve If whichgovernment, promoted the slogans: Chongqing the by used officially never was K ( cetiously that dozens of Chinese cities were branding themselves the ‘Oriental Geneva’ ( Geneva’ ‘Oriental the themselves branding were cities Chinese of dozens that cetiously ( Gorges Three Everlasting Chongqing, World’s to encourage everything from tourism to general urban development and ‘civilized’ lifestyles. lifestyles. ‘civilized’ and development urban general to tourism from everything encourage to lines tag as and purposes ideological for slogans adopted have governments local and cities many ed ‘Red City’ ( City’ ‘Red ed C liaojie Zhongguo liaojie Golden beaches ( Golden beaches seas, Emerald skies, , :Blue Shijiede Chongqing, yongyuande Sanxia yongyuande Chongqing, Shijiede tiantian shi chuntian shi tiantian Kunming Jingcai meiyitian Jingcai unming, Y unming, hongqing: ity B ity As of early 2012, Beijing Spirit messages were ubiquitous in the capital: in subway stations, stations, subway in capital: the in ubiquitous were messages Spirit Beijing 2012, early of As In the last months of 2011, Beijing introduced its own city slogan, one that was more in in more was that one slogan, city own its introduced 2011, of Beijing months last the In The same article noted that in March 2010, Yichun, in province province Jiangxi in Yichun, 2010, March in that noted article same The In 2010, 2010, In randing and C

东方日内瓦 Other city slogans include: city Other 春 Other city slogans that have been used in China in the last few years include: years few last the in China in used been have that slogans city Other Wonderful everyday in the city name, which means ‘spring’. The creators of this clever slogan were seem were slogan clever this of creators The ‘spring’. means which name, city the in unnan: Although ChongqingAlthough was brand Oriental Outlook Oriental Mei daoguo Chongqing, bu bu Chongqing, daoguo Mei Hongse zhi du zhi Hongse

)

) 没到过重庆，不了解中国

雪亮眼镜 精彩每一天 Lantian bihai jinshatan bihai Lantian ), among them , , , Kunming, Dali, among Dali, Kunming, Qinhuangdao, them Chaohu Shijiazhuang, ), Zhaoqing, Every day is Spring Spring is day Every ity Slogans ity ) aiguo, chuangxin, baorong, houde baorong, chuangxin, aiguo, , for example, took its name from a famous Mao slogan: ‘The eyes of of eyes ‘The slogan: Mao afamous from name its took example, for ,

红色之都 Yizuo jiao chunde chengshi chunde jiao Yizuo ) magazine (

qunzhongde yanjing shi xueliangde shi yanjing qunzhongde ) that ) that

Dongfang Liaowang Zhoukan Liaowang Dongfang ) - Beijing jingshen Beijing jiao chun jiao ( Innovative Open-minded, , : 开放、 新 、创 放 、开 实 务 minded ( minded harmonious, magnanimous and open- Zhejiang: , 大气开放 ( day! dour blossom every D ( years thousand two understand Guangdong: Guangzhou, C ( cuisine of Capital colour, of Capital du 新精彩 Yiri dudong liangqian nian liangqian dudong Yiri Chengxin, shiwu, kaifang, chuangxin kaifang, shiwu, Chengxin, zhi Meishi du, zhi Duocai du, zhi Chenggong Meitian zhanfang xin jingcai! xin zhanfang Meitian Capital of success, hengdu, of Sichuan: success, Capital ongguan, Guangdong: Let freshongguan, splen

一座叫春的城市 成功之都、多彩之都、美食之都

叫春

创新、 厚德 、厚 容 、包 新 、创 国 爱 ! )

北京精神 ) is a colloquial expression for the the for expression acolloquial is ) ) Jingzhi hexie, daqi kaifang daqi hexie, Jingzhi

群众的眼睛是雪亮的 瞭 ) ): Patriotism, Innovation, ): Innovation, Patriotism, 望东方周刊 ), referring to the charac the to referring ), Honest, Pragmatic, Pragmatic, Honest, 江西宜春 Exquisite and and Exquisite

In one day you 一日读懂两千年

每天绽放 ). ) observed fa )observed , adopted the ,adopted the ) Dongfang Dongfang

精致谐、

诚信、 ), while while ),

- ) ------

CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 41 40 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba ‘Strike Black’campaign, meanwhile resulted intherestructuring of police down on corruptionandorganised crimeduring2009-2010, theso-called mass songfests inwork placesandpublic parks. Thehighly publicisedcrack practices’ of theMaoistera,including‘SingRed’ campaign of staging with relevance for therestof thecountry. Othercampaigns drewonthe‘red helped fuel the idea of a ‘Chongqing Model’ that was unique to the city and coverage about his leadership in the national and international press and regular to led agenda his and Chongqing boost to media the using for flair apt symbol for what Hisunprecedented inthisvolume we call‘redrising’. moted highly visibleurbanpoliciessuch asthemassplanting of gingkos, an summer compared to thehistoric banyans. birds to nest and offer less shade during the punishing heat of Chongqing’s deciduous and their canopy is relatively small; they provide fewer places for highly tolerant of sulphur dioxide andresistant to insects.However, they are planning thegingko was ashowy butquestionablechoice.Gingkos are ant of one of the founders of the People’s Republic. In terms of ecosystem lost ontheChinese:BoXilaiwas adescend- widely known asa‘princeling’, low inautumn. isunassailable.Thesubtle Itsancestry symbolism was not treeturnanimperialthis delicate-looking yel - an age of conspicuousurbanconsumption. was asignthat BoXilaiandthecityhadentered of ataxidriver). Themassplanting of gingkos income monthly the times (one-hundred each reportedly at thecostof some300,000yuan traded, being were trees old years 50-100 that indicated city the of thoroughfares major on trunks centimetre forty-fifty with trees mature buy-up of gingkos. Thesudden appearanceof of treesrequiredledto afeverish nationwide of uniform implementation. Thesheernumber

The maidenhair-fern-shaped leaves of Empowered to develop thecityinnational interest, Bo Xilaipro

trees andlandscapingservices of Ginkgo’,acompanythatprovides Professionals Cooperative withDay Source: Website of‘Chongqing ready fortransplanting. Gingko saplings

- - of the city in 2010. During 2009-2010, the US electronics and computing firm mayor of Chongqing in 2001 and Deputy Party in2009,then Mayor Secretary Vice- became Huang Zone. New Pudong famous city’s that in planning trial indus of architect economic an and (1995-2001) Committee Economic hai’s Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan had previously been the director of Shang- facturing firms in a designated technology district, the Liangjiang New Zone. auto assembly allinoneplace. is globally distinctive for locating industrialdesign,partsmanufactureand Company. Itisthethirdlargest manufacturerof automobiles inChinaand Motor Ford US the of partner Chinese the Auto, Chang’an is Chongqing in base for enterprise contemporary manufacturing.Theleadingstate-owned early enterprises military 1990s, Chongqing redeveloped as a state-owned mon elsewhere during the country’s economic reforms in the 1980s and com- companies, state privatizing and dismantling than Rather north). the in and coastal being fronts other (the Front’ ‘Third China’s called was what infrastructure wasmilitary relocated as part of a national defensive strategy, central andwestern regionsof thecountryto which crucialindustrialand the in places several of one was Chongqing 1949, After profitable. and tive Source: QQ.com/ taking upresidence. intended todeterhomelesspeoplefrom bridges inthecityofGuangzhou,apparently Concrete spikesinstalledunderneathfreeway Chongqing has also coordinated investment from international manu- Southern Metropolis Daily Metropolis Southern

convictions of high-rankingofficials. crime ledto over 3,000arrestsand while the crackdown on organised moves for increasingtheirsense of safety, the praised citizens Local streets. the on deployed were ficers city andthousandsof extra policeof platforms were putupallover the control traffic and Police services. aim of makingthemmore competi- the with (SOEs) enterprises owned phasised therestructuringof state- The ChongqingModelalsoem- - - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 43 42 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba Chongqing. out of three laptops being manufacturedintheworld isnow assembled in tage over Kissinger thecoastalhubs.AsHenry learnedduringhistour, one time between ChinaandEurope andgiving Chongqingacompetitive advan- just thirteen days, cutting by more than half the average container shipping and LCD screens from Chongqing to Duisburg traveled 11,179 kilometres in laptops carrying train freight first The Germany. Duisburg, to Chongqing of distance’.InJuly openedwithalinelinking 2011,aEurasianrailservice Delta andShanghai.However, new railcapacityhasovercome the‘tyranny flourished largely in the country’s coastal areas, in particular the Pearl River central Chinamay appearcounterintuitive: China’sexport industrieshave and semi-private capitalto take advantage of globalproduction chains. lustrate how Chinese companies have retooled historic industries using state il- They industries. services financial emerging China’s by supported were structures corporate complex Such WesternAustralia. in Project Magnetite AsiaSteelsidiary Holdings owns asixtypercent stake intheExtension Hill sub its through which company Kong-listed Hong a Ltd, SINOM in interest Cooperation Group. majority suppliesofa secured byiron purchasing It ore Economic and Trade Foreign Chongqing the with venture joint a Ltd, ment run corporation established theChonggangMineralsDevelopment Invest YangtzeRiver, wasit state- this 2010, relocatedIn 1930s. tothe in Chongqing the of plain central the on city major ,the in HanyangPlant Ironthe SOEistheChongqingIronindustry andSteel Group. Establishedin1890as choral events andpraisedthecity’sachievements).largest heavy Chongqing’s Red’ ‘Sing mass Xilai’s Bo of one in part took also (Kissinger there operating met with executives from leading firms among a reported 500 US companies facturing concerns. In June Kissinger 2011, Henry visited Chongqing and omy grewto encompassandmultinational arange ofmanu- state-owned NewLiangjiang ways,these In Zone. like econ- city’s the Pudong, Shanghai’s the Germanchemicalproducer BASF allsetupoperations inChongqing’s Hewlett-Packard, theTaiwanese manufacturerFoxconn, semi-conductor and Major new investment and the relocation of production capacities in in capacities production of relocation the and investment new Major - - facturing centres. To urbanplannerstheintegration of thesecitiesseems nearby andFoshan arerapidly becomingkey provincial manu - of Guangzhou and are among the wealthiest in the country and have little incommonwith the riverine rural societyof thepast. Thecities quality. and water air woeful and development, and use land over conflicts flicts, sprawling urbanisation, ahighly mobile migrant population, labour con- is alsonotorious for showcasing thedarker sideofboom: theeconomic hasalso delta the world, been atesting ground for newpolitical and economic models.The region the outside to to open region first the As ing. the centre of debates surrounding Chinese urbanization and nation build of Guangdong province, and its provincial capital, Guangzhou, has been at had intheMaoera. diminished the capacityof thegovernment to intervene intheirlives, asit status northecity’simage asopenandurbanehad neither middle-class that avail), no to (although rooftops their occupying by protested cases insome who residents, flabbergasted ed laterGames that year. Themove remind- Asian the for city the into flock to pected of thousandsof international visitors ex were designed to impress the hundreds they project, beautification precedented weresloped, red-tiledroofs. Part of anun- by would be given theillusion that they passers- that so boards PVC with mented be renovated. Flat roofs would be aug- roofs of theirapartment buildings had to dents inseveralof areas thecitythat the city government suddenly informed resi- Guangzhou the 2010, of summer the In Red RoofinginGuangzhou Today, the Pearl River Delta contains nine major cities, all of which of all cities, major nine contains Delta River Pearl Today,the heart the through funnelling Delta, River Pearl the Chongqing, Like - Source: Singsupplies.com red-tiled roofs. given theillusionthattheyweresloped, PV flat roofsofoldapartmentbuildingswith municipal governmentaugmentedthe In thesummerof2010,Guangzhou boards so that passers-by would be C boardssothatpassers-bywouldbe - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 45 44 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba remain at leastadministratively rural. most part they remain concentrated in the cities. Large areas of the region tion and communication across thedisparate metropolitan areas;for the modest attempts to integrate networks service in healthcare, transporta of forty-plusconurbation: millionpeople. There have amega-city been local and national plannersenvisage the whole areabecomingonevast both urbanization; rapid on relied has growth economic 1980s, the Since economy. regional the boost and wayefficiencies ideal increase toan like Source: flickr/Arkiben Guangzhou’s newcentral businessdistrict. - geographical divide of northand mountain range, thetraditional Lingnan the of south lands the for metonym a culture’, ‘Lingnan of ular culture and traditions in terms partic- region’s the conceptualized advertising-cum-propaganda push Guangzhou The way’. ‘Guangzhou the ‘specialcharacteristics’ of the two word slogan’ to encapsulate ‘thirty- a issued Guangzhou 2010, In Guangzhou. of government the is taken very seriously byneering’ East Asia. concept with a complex history in f cvlzto’ ( ‘civilization’ of rect moderncitylife in the name administrations willguide anddi ment that urban areas and local expectation of the central govern the - reveal they But significance. Such labels have limited practical 2011. in City’ Civilized ‘National a and 2010 in City’ Central ‘National a modernization named was Guangzhou project. urban national edge their relative standing in the central government to acknowl- rankings andlistscompiled by the in included be to lobby Guangzhou like significance national of Cities As inChongqing, ‘image engi- wenming

文明 ), a - wang ming jianshe ming 社会主义精神文明建设 ( ‘civilization’ word the century, following the Meiji in restoration the nineteenth Japan from language Chinese the into Introduced ( C the word ‘civilization’/ under the rubric of the Life Movement’. ‘New campaign asimilar pursued had Party Nationalist then-ruling the 1930s, the In civility. basic and tions) regula and rules and goals its Party, the to (fealty moralwhich socialist codes included patriotism, to ‘build spiritual civilization’, the core of elements 1986, the government formally launched a program and Mao ZedongMarxism-Leninism In Thought. orthodox of development significant aconcept the called ideologists Party material achievements. to China’s match civilization’ spiritual a ‘socialist foster to need the stressed it but goals, economic cluding Deng noted of Xiaoping, the importance the approved speech, by other senior leaders in Revolution, Cultural the of devastations the from recover to struggling still was country the when 1979. in Republic People’s the of founding the of ry gathering commemorating anniversa the thirtieth ies’ ( ies’ cit ‘civilized create to campaigns to Marxism about ranging statements from rhetorical contexts, litical Civilization’ ( Civilization’ Spiritual Socialist ‘Building expression the used first ing of Committee the National People’sCongress, Stand the of Chairman and Republic People’s the ‘polite’. mean to merely used sometimes is it restrained; as well as and compliant to civilization, civilized from China, in meanings of arange has Japanese) in and ‘build websites in a civilized way’ ( way’ acivilized in websites ‘build and ordered websites to censor content objectionable authorities China’sIn Internet regulatory 2006, outlawed. and policed are behavior anti-social of forms all to public in spitting and littering from thing wenming jianshe wenming onstructing C onstructing wenming chengshi wenming Since the 1980s, Chinese officialdom has used used has officialdom Chinese 1980s, the Since Delivered significant. highly was speech The Ye Jianying (d. 1986), former Vice-president of of Vice-president former 1986), (d. Ye Jianying

文明办网 shehuizhuyi jingshen wenming jianshe wenming jingshen shehuizhuyi

文明建设 ). ivilization ivilization

文明建设 wenming

) in a speech at an official official an at speech a in ) – often shortened to –shortened often 文明城市 )

wenming in a variety of po of a variety in ) in which every which ) in wenming ban ban wenming or or bunmei wen ------

CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 47 46 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba sions and the demolitionof large tractsof old housing stock. For years the Pearl River Deltahas also relied on massive land grabs, forced disposses points around the city. key at trees kapok 1,400 plant to plan a warlords. announced Guangzhou local 2011, In against front united a constituted Nationalists the and Communists the when 1920s the in Guangzhou revolutionary of symbol America. It eventually became the local ‘hero tree’ for its red color, the South of colonisation the generated by trade trans-Pacific early the of era the arrived in seedpods, fibrous its after named tree, kapok The China. to native being not –despite flower city official the are which of blooms red were interspersed with kapok trees (Ceiba pentandra), thestrikingorange- tedplants flowersand decoration the for of highways. and roads pots The urban landscaping. In 2010, the city spent nearly 160 million to help select plants from a list of one hundred specimens to residents be used for invited authorities Local edge. democratic more somewhat a icon. international hoped, is it and, local a into antenna TV giant a than more designhavespectral nightlighting,andcurvilinear turnedwhat islittle Information BasedArchitecture together with Arup. Itsobservation deck, Tower designedby theDutch architects Mark Hemeland Barbara Kuit of buildings aimed at being among China’s tallest. Among them is the Canton of series a planning is Guangzhou predictably, buildings; high-rise port new axes that cut against the original layout of Guangzhou. The plans sup duce itsenvironmental footprint, thecitywas alongtwo to bere-oriented more importantly to accommodate increasedresidential densityand re the city’secology andenvironment. To achieve these‘civilising goals’, but out Asia.Thelistalsorefersto morecontemporary ambitionsto improve century, and merchants have used the place asa base for tradethrough- seventh the from dating mosque a boasts even it port; international first south. The list of special characteristics notes that Guangzhou was China’s Behind all of these grand, cosmetic gestures, of the ‘civilising’ the adopted has Guangzhou of greening the Chongqing, to contrast In yuan on pot - - - - chengzhong cun (chengzhong city’ the in ‘villages of Dozens ies. farms have beensurrounded andforcibly absorbedinto theexpandedcit whose landowners rural with odds at been has government Guangzhou urban villages arescheduledfor ‘redevelopment’ during2011-2015. or houses in flats the new developments. In Guangzhou alone, fifty-two and out of 138 cash including villagers, some to made been have payouts large that meant has inhabitants original the from opposition organized modern city. Evictionsby developers arenotalways successful and well- narrow alleys and poor sanitation, they appearas holdoutsagainstthe buildings that provide cheaprental housingto migrant workers. With own collectively. They consistfor themostpartof substandard apartment These ‘villages’ areenclaves of ruralland that thevillagers sometimesstill Hong K about ‘locusts’, a derogatory reference to the Hong Kong-visiting mainland mothers. mainland Kong-visiting Hong the to reference aderogatory ‘locusts’, about some Hong Kong citizens in paid a for complaining local a newspaper advertisement full-page 2012, 1February On tensions. to contributes mainland, the to returning trains, MTR the on buyers’ ‘bulk such of presence visible The shortages. in resulting Kong, Hong in mainlanders by buy-ups milk powdered fuel to continues deaths, some and sickness infant caused that mainland the in scandal milk powdered A2008 cameras. their with rein free mainlanders ing heavy-spend allowing while store the of front in photos taking from them banning by locals against discriminating of owners the accusing store, & Gabbana a Dolce of front in protested residents Kong Hong athousand about 2012, January in treatment: special mainlanders fered of have shops Kong Hong Some prices. lower and quality of guarantee the both by attracted alike, goods common and luxury for shop to Kong Hong to go also Mainlanders Kong. Hong in residency permanent children their give to and care health publicly-funded and superior its of advantage take to order in hospitals Kong’s Hong in birth give to mainland the from year,well-managed amenities. Every tens of of thousands pregnant women and cross the border resources plentiful relatively colony’s British former the of mainlanders by abuse the ing people. acolonised of mindset the with ‘dogs’ but nothing were colony British former the in people some that said University, Peking at Chinese of aprofessor Qingdong, Kong slobs? Why are Hong Kong people so snobbish? Commenting on an Internet video program, uncouth all mainlanders Are alike. people Kong Hong and Chinese mainland among cussion that.’ like always are they mainlanders, with reason to trying use ‘No shouted: woman Kong aHong quarrel, the of middle the In in. join to passengers more drawing back, local argued who a family, girl’s Mandarin, the to mess the poor about In protested train. speaker subway mass-transport Kong Hong a in carriage a of floor the on noodles snack some dropped girl Mandarin-speaking a young 2012, 15On January versus M versus Contributing to the mutual antagonism is what some Hong Kong people perceive as be as perceive people Kong Hong some what is antagonism mutual the to Contributing The recorded incident, on a mobile phone and uploaded online, generated heated dis ong D ainland L ogs ( Xianggang gou Xianggang ocusts ( Dalu huangchong Dalu

香港狗 )

大陆蝗虫 ) 城中村 ) dot the map. - - - - - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 49 48 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba River Deltadiscussedabove withtheHongKong andMacaoSpecial ment action. of can only localservices be achieved through provincial-level govern - region itiseasy to appreciate that anything morethantherationalisation reshaping roofs or lining trees with potted plants. Travelling around the cally fragmented. isnotmerely Thecreationamatter of amega-city of and where many of themetropolitan areasarethemselves geographi- multiple centres, where localitiescompete asmuch asthey collaborate, withTokyoarea or urban don an is delta Angeles,likethe Los more and Lon- from Different region. the of fragmentation physical the remains Delta River Pearl the of integration the for plans to challenge major A Guangdong Provincial PartySecretaryWang Y Source: Front pageof ’s growing mega-city weldsSouth China’sgrowingthecoreareasof thePearl mega-city Dongguan Times, Dongguan imes T ongguan D he T 21June2012 featuring featuring ang. dong would to allintents and be thecountry’s‘factory’; Guang- ‘shop’ while the hinterland could dong shouldbecomeChina’s , suggested that Guang- dong provincial Party Secretary, in Chongqing, the present Guang- his earlier administrative position project. Shortly after moving from incorporated into a vast national ers arewary of seeingHongKong Hong Kong. Local activists and oth- are particularly controversial in cations andtransport networks into ’s communi - British andPortuguesecolonies posed integration of theformer Administrative regions. Thepro Kong. Transportation is the key purposes usurp therole of Hong - to launch and promise an inquiry to return some of the appropriated land without recompense. The villagers forced the provincial authorities cal Party developers who had beeninvolved intheillegalsale of collective ternational headlines when the villagers of Wukan protested against lo local networks that frustrate easy telecommunication. reality when a unified mobile telephone network replaces the numerous safeguard thebikes. Somelocalsinsistthat integration willonly bea not come to an agreement on the kind of locks that were to be used to township bike rental system was scrapped because the two cities could whether integration isreally possible.For instance,an expensive cross- about debate often cadres party Local elites. power-holding local ening strength- effectively and with compromizes reaching after or cost, high municipal government isoften ableto outitsplansonly carry at avery village collectives, planningentails large-scale complex negotiations. The Shenzhen at theborder withChinaintwelve minutes. and Kong Hong between kilometres twenty-six the cover 2015, in opens a tunnel line that will, when it pensive railway in the world, delta by fundingthemost ex acrossspeed railservices the continued to guarantee high- the HongKong government sacked for corruptionin2011, head of China’s railways was disaster inmid2011.After the rail the by back set was project railway the national book, this of 7 Chapter As Jeremy Goldkorn notes in to these integrative moves. In late 2011, local disputes over land seizures in the delta made in- made delta the in seizures overland disputes local late2011, In With large areas of land still controlled by local governments and - them of causing the accident. the causing of them from those who have helped them or accusing money extorting many of cases victims reported been have there as rampant is China in maritan Sa agood being of Fear deeds. good doing avoid China in people why about online and media the in out broke debate Aheated child? injured searching: How could eighteen people ignore an causingInternet, nationwide outrage, and soul the to uploaded was incident whole the caught after. soon died but port sup life on put was Yueyue hospital in Once dler. tod injured critically the ignored had passers-by other eighteen girl, the help to stopped woman run over again by another vehicle. the By time a was she later minutes Afew avan. by over run was and market aneighbouring to next street the GuangdongFoshan, province. She walked into in house her of out wandered Yueyue, named nick Yue, Wang 2011, three-year-old October In L ittle Y ittle Footage from a surveillance camera that that camera asurveillance from Footage ueyue 小悦悦 - - - - - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 51 50 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba nomic growth in the Pearl River Delta region – ‘making an even bigger even an ‘making – region Delta River Pearl the in growth nomic the Party of Secretary Guangdong province, promoted continued eco ‘dividing thecake’ andneedy, amongthedeserving whereas Wang Yang, – boom economic county’s the by generated wealth the of distribution gional development. InChongqing,Bo Xilai advocated amoreequitable Communist Party leadersused themediato aircontesting visions of re time first the was It debate’. ‘cake the dubbed waswhat inspired places to rulingthecountryasawhole. In2011,thesymbolic politicsof thetwo Guangdong were strategies for urbandevelopment aswell asapproaches debate about thefutureof China.At stake inthecontest between Chongqingand national the in large loomed have Guangzhou and Chongqing The ‘CakeDebate’ himself) onthenational arena. himself) association by (and ideas his promoted he which by spectacle urban of HuJintao.tary Wang Yang, like BoXilai,was ableto usehiscityasakind regarded as being aligned with the faction around Party General Secre delta can be a stepping-stone to a national political role. Wang Yang is positions. For anambitiouspartyleader, asuccessful stint runningthe running different partsof thecountrybefore beingpromoted to national power bases.Thesystem alsoguarantees that leadershave experiences rotated between postsinorderto reducetheirabilityto buildup local about illegaldispossessionandunjustcompensation. are grabs’ ‘land rural over conflicts most Wukan, in concerns the Like a moreliberalattitude towards theprotection of therightsof itsfarmers. ternational anddomesticmediaasasignthat Guangdong was adopting the countrythatseldomreachheadlines,was otherwise hailedby in- around conflicts such many of one episode, This head. village new the land. Theconflictalsoculminated intheelection of theprotest leaderas As indynastic times,provincial leadersare andregionalmilitary - - - to China’s overall economic and social innovation. The clash of visions contribution that national-level cityplanners andthinkers have made important the camouflaged liberalisation of paladin the as Wang and witness hisachievements. of thePolitburo Standing Committee which rulesChinato Chongqing to members invited also Bo Guangdong. in figure 0.65 serious the lighted inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient from 0.45 to 0.35 and high- 2011, theParty Committee of Chongqingadopted aresolutionto reduce of inequality in Chongqing and the need for greater social equity. In July ing aboutthelimitsof self-promotion, BoXilaispotlighted theextremes While Wang Yang inGuangdong called for continued growth while warn- tending regionalvisionsintheleadupto the2012-2013power transition. con- and planning urban politics, national of conjuncture media-fueled the cake bigger.’ Thisinessencewas the‘cake debate’. ‘division of thecake isnotapriorityrightnow. Thepriorityisto make sation of commonprosperity.’ Aweek later Wang Yang respondedthat: people in China have indeed become rich first, so we must seek the reali- ‘some said: Bo 2011 July in first, rich become will people some economy pragmaticring to acknowledgement Deng Xiaoping’s that in a market including theprovision housingfor ofmigrant low-cost workers. Refer- of wealth through government funding of programs for the public good tistics aboutthedistributionof wealth. Boproposed theredistribution sta- publicizing stopped ment so serious that the govern- a problem that had become increasing incomeinequality, contemporary concerns about the way they intersect with on historic socialist ideals and cake’. Bo’s formulation drew The ‘cake debate’ that featured Bo as a champion of egalitarianism The clashof modelsandthe‘cake debate’ saw anunprecedented at any cost? economy the grow to or wealth distribute to tant dilemma of China’s economy: is it more impor central a reflect views more contrasting The growth equitably). rapid of profits the (allocate cake the divide to how on focused Model Chongqing ing the economic cake as big as possible, the mak strategy, reform Xiaoping’s Deng of pects as liberal the uphold would Yang Wang leader Party Guangdong Where media. international and Chinese the in out played that models dong Guang and Chongqing the between competition the of aspect public one was debate’ ‘cake The T he ‘ he C ake D ake ebate’ ( ebate’ dangao lun dangao

蛋糕论 ) - - - - CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 53 52 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba kind of nervous collapsebrought onby overwork. Thespectacleof the de scribed as‘vacation-style initially therapy’ ongrounds that hehadsuffered some media official the what undergo to capital the to off ered visit. unusual highly Wang ultimately left the consulate ‘on his a own volition’. He was ush- for Chengdu in Consulate US the at up turned campaign, anti-crime Black’ ‘Strike the led previously had who Lijun, Xilai’s predecessorinChongqing. ity. It was also effectively a critique of Wang Yang, since Wang was Bo River Delta with itsuneven development andincreasingincomeinequal- gave the‘ChongqingModel’anedge sinceitappearedto trump thePearl debate the Ultimately, views. nuanced more even or dissenting ferent, dif invite it did Nor solutions. effectiveproffer or challenges economic and even thecountryasawhole, itfailedto identify clearly politicaland even asthedebate suggested possiblefuturedirectionsfor otherregions Yetsocialism. re-jigged of form a of champion the Bo and camp’ ‘liberal velopment. Wang becamethespokesman for what was loosely termed a alternatives have beenallowed to present such different modelsfor de of this‘citycompetition’ inwhich two governing styles andeconomic the media.Many observers inChinaandoverseas praisedtheopenness in discussed widely was it and Beijing, in power of halls traditional the plications for socialchange. developsimultaneously intertwineand waysin that have significant im- that industriesoften agriculture,mining, manufacturingandservices industries, the speed ofservices development in China has meant economies inwhich agriculture gave way to manufacturingfollowed by ies. By contrast to the economic path followed by advanced industrial of China is the economic processes unfolding in the country’s new cit dong, partof what makes afascinating challenge to ourunderstanding through real and symbolic projects. Yet whether in Chongqing or Guang- powerPartyprojecttheir showhowregional leaders plans regional and In February 2012,theChongqingchiefof publicsecurityWang The ‘cake debate’ was also significant because it unfolded far beyond - - - - having confronted Bo Xilai with evidence that Bo’s wife, , was post as public securitychiefand reassigned, allegedly astheresult of ConsulateUS toWangthe hisdramaticallyremovedvisit from been had his before Shortly transition. political of Year Dragon 2012–2013 the of drama unfolding the in figure pivotal a as emerged Lijun Wang result a As staff. consular US with documents incriminating deposited he that phone mobile gested that Wang had considered seeking asylum. Some reports claimed via and Internet the Pacific the ofsug- sides both Reportson messaging. SMS microblogsand on rapidly US the spread surrounded – had Consulate vehicles security Chinese of dozens – event Source: flickr/SamGao Guangzhou citycentreasviewedfromHua’nanbridge.

CHINA STORY YEARBOOK Symbolic Cities and the ‘Cake Debate’ 55 54 2012 Carolyn Cartier and Luigi Tomba abuses of authoritarian power by Boandhisfollowers. disagreed vehemently with Bo’s policies and shocking allegations of had officials level lower that accounts including emerge, to began qing’ including President HuJintao. Reports of deepfault-lines in‘redChong- of members of China’s national leadership while they were in the city, thephones wiretapped had officials that allegations at hinted paratus pursuit of thetruthbehindthisdeadly ChineseCommunist soapopera. Bo Guagua. Journalists traced leads between China, the UK and the US in tangentially,‘playboy’HarvardUniversityand, Gu’sson, studentand Bo strands of the mysterious, lurid story involving Bo, Gu, Wang, Heywood In thefollowing weeks, international mediafollowed upthemultiple the station quietly returnedto itsformer advertising-supported format. been forced to drop commercialadvertising. Inthewake of BoXilai’sfall, over by the local government, turned into a public interest channel and Chongqing began to fade. In 2011, Chongqing Satellite TV had been taken eventswhateversinging and mass inwerecancelled ized ‘red’ been had relieved of his duties and put under investigation. Government-organ- symbolic meaningsin China’s critically decisive national debates. complex significant, transmit cities how underscores and life to comes whom hislegacyhasdepended. Insuch incidents thehistoric landscape Wartablished during the Sino-Japanese by , his exalted father, on es region military the of base the – province Yunnan Kunming, ‘therapy’, themediarevealed BoXilaivacationing inadifferent way, in position inadifferent city. WhileWang disappearedinto Party-imposed earlier an in corruption for investigation official under come previously involved in the death of the British businessman . Wang had Meanwhile, domestic reports on Chongqing’s massiveMeanwhile, domestic reports on Chongqing’s security ap Soon a terse official statement announced that Bo himself had been - -

showcasing the‘ChongqingModel’. Planning Exhibition Hall, the largest in the country, closed an entire floor slogans and campaigns, and the Chongqing all Urbanevidence of Bo-era economy-as-usual. By May, the theChongqinggovernment beganto erase for support confident of signal a in industry automobile city’s the ple’s Congress approved an additional thirty billion Yang asParty inGuangdong. Secretary On16March,theChongqingPeo Wang preceded had who member Politburo and Vice-premier a jiang, De Zhang successor interim Bo’s as appointed government central The yuan investment for - -