Sam sits down with Kyle Jaros, Associate Professor in the Political Economy of China at the University of Oxford. They discuss Kyle’s new book, “China’s Urban Champions: The Politics of Spatial Development”, which uses four provincial case studies in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Hunan, Jiangxi to analyze the relationships between local leaders, provincial leaders, and Beijing.
Beijing-based creative director Beatrice Leanza tells us about urban design in China and community-driven initiatives to preserve historic neighborhoods in the capital.
Announcing the winner of the inaugural Lau-YCW essay competition… Lauren Dickey! Lauren submitted an impassioned essay on China’s water security, tracing the growing water crisis from Mao Zedong’s post-1949 development projects to Zhongnanhai’s “sponge city” pilot program. She makes a compelling case for how China’s response to water scarcity will change the world, arguing, “China’s partners and friends can learn from Beijing’s mistakes. But it is the success stories that others will emulate.”
Is the Communist Party starting to crack? What can China learn from India’s experience with rural migration to cities? Dr. Lynette Ong of the University of Toronto provides insight into some of the biggest domestic issues facing China over the next decade.
Jonathan Woetzel is a Director with McKinsey & Company based in Shanghai. Dr. Woetzel currently leads McKinsey’s Cities Special Initiative globally, convening our work with urban authorities in over 40 geographies worldwide. In his 27 years with the Firm, 26 of