Here is an interesting take on China’s megalopolis courtesy of Andy Xie over at Morgan Stanley (via T-Salon). Mr. Xie seems to be more level-headed than most when talking about the Chinese economy. In this entry he gets into the “Shanghai as showpiece” phenomenon, and the city’s effect on first-time visitors:
“The visual impact of Shanghai on first-time visitors is quite powerful. It appears similar to Tokyo or New York, not what one would expect in a country with a per capita income of US$1,000. Because the physical appearance of a city is usually correlated with the wealth within, visitors to Shanghai would subconsciously draw such a link. ”
[...]
“Because China’s vast labor pool keeps construction costs low, Shanghai has managed to use the inflow of funds to build a very expensive-looking city.”
To read exactly just what kind of euphoric effect this city can have on tourists and visitors, check out this rather over-the-top post. Then, when you are done with that ode to utopia with Chinese characteristics, check out this rather appropriate response.