In the last few years, China has implemented policies to ban or impose strict restrictions on building supertall buildings. The government is acutely aware that provincial competition to outbuild each other may hurt the country’s overall economy. Not only that, high investment costs aside, the finished buildings may end up as energy-guzzling white elephants.
Waste management
Economy
Society
China feeds about 20% of the global population, but its overall self-sufficiency in food seems to be dropping. Even though it is self-sufficient in some staples such as wheat, rice and corn, it is less so in others. In fact, it is the largest importer of food in the world. Recent calls by President Xi Jinping to cut food wastage has people thinking that political reasons aside, China’s food supply is at risk. This risk could yet be amplified by changes in land policies, rural-urban migration and more.
Economy
In this two-part article, prominent Hong Kong commentator and columnist Yang Jinlin assesses Chongqing’s strengths such as its strategic location and expertise in smart city building and waste management while sharing his personal reflections on how the megacity has changed and will continue to grow as it moves from one decade to the next. Read about the future of smart cities, and Chongqing’s achievements in waste management in the second part.