Tag Archives: industries

On development path of creative industries in urban old industrial area in China: a case study of Shijingshan, Beijing

Yin Yimei 尹贻梅, Liu Zhigao 刘志高, Liu Weidong 刘卫东, Dai Juncheng 戴俊骋, « Chengshi lao gongye qu chuangyi zhuanxing lujing yanjiu: Yi beijing shijingshan yu yi sheng, chongqing daxue 城市老工业区创意转型路径研究:以北京石景山为例 », Dili yu dili xinxi kexue, 2011, Vol. 27, N° 6, pp. 55-60.

The transformation and reconstruction of urban old industrial areas is always an urgent and hot topic to study. In recent years, developing creative industries has become an important strategic initiative of fulfilling old industrial areas′ revitalization in developed countries and regions. The current studies on creative transformation of old industrial areas mainly focus on the status and effectiveness of creative transformation of old industrial zone, but seldom concern the mechanism of transformation from theoretical perspective. In this paper, the theories of path dependence and path creation are employed as the theoretical tools to study on the mechanism and path of the creative transformation in old industrial area, with Shijingshan, Beijing as an example. The paper first explains the concepts of path dependence, lock-in, path creation and their application in explaining the transformation of old industrial area; and then analyzes the historical origin of Shijingshan old industrial areas and its problems, then explores the creative transformation paths of Shijingshan, putting forwards three main paths, i. e., the industrial design and development, digital entertainment and recreation tourism industry; finally, this paper concludes with the responsibilities that the government should take in the transition process.

Other articles written by Liu Weidong in 2011-2012

  • Liu Weidong 刘卫东, Liu Hongguang 刘红光, Fan Xiaomei 范晓梅, Chen Jie 陈杰, Tang Zhipeng 唐志鹏, «Diqu jian maoyi liuliang de chanye – kongjian moxing goujian yu yingyong 地区间贸易流量的产业—空间模型构建与应用» ( Sector-Specific spatial statistic model for estimating inter-regional trade flows: a case study of agricultural, chemical and electronic sectors in China), Dili xuebao, Vol, 67, N°2, 2012, pp. 147-156.
  •  Yang Hongmei 杨红梅, Liu Weidong 刘卫东, Liu Hongguang 刘红光, « Tudi shichang fazhan dui tudi jiyue liyong de yingxiang 土地市场发展对土地集约利用的影响» (Effects of land market development on land use intensity), Zhongguo renkou ziyuan yu huanjing, Vol. 21, N°12, 2011, pp. 129-133.
  •  Liu Weidong 刘卫东, Jin Fengjun 金凤君, Zhang Wenzhong 张文忠, He Canfei 贺灿飞, Liu Zhigao 刘志高, « Zhongguo jingji dili xue yanjiu jinzhan yu zhanwang 中国经济地理学研究进展与展望» (Progress in economic geography 2006-2011), Dili kexue jinzhan, Vol 30, N°12, 2011, pp. 1479-1487.

All the articles are available on the CNKI.

Chi-Han Ai

Ph.D. candidate of EHESS ( École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Paris) focusing on regional economic development in China and Taiwan.

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Chinese urban residential construction to 2040

Last September, Leon Berkelmans and Hao Wang published an interesting working paper for Australia’s central bank on urban residential construction in China up to 20401 . Since China is the number one importer of Australian iron ore, possible fluctuations of the real estate market in China  cause concern in Canberra.

According to this study, residential construction in China will remain high for the next thirty years, with a peak in the next few years, but the annual construction growth rate will slow down.  The authors note that China’s construction boom results from the economic growth the country has enjoyed for twenty years. To conduct their research, the authors used sets of data issued by official Chinese agencies and looked at similar experiences in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. They noticed that Chinese data on urbanisation underestimate the extent of urban residential construction.

  • For Berkelmans and Wang, demand for residential construction will be sustained by the  path that urban development is following in China. Based on United Nations projections and their own calculations, the authors argue that China will be even more urbanized, with more than 70% of total population living in cities, by 2040. Further reforms to the Hukou system may increase this trend.
  • Another factor for future residential construction growth is the increasing demand for floor space. According to the authors, as incomes increase, Chinese urban dwellers will be more likely to demand larger residential units. According to their study, urban floor space per capita may almost double between 2010 and 2040.
  • However, Berkelmans and Wang believe that demolitions of dilapidated buildings will gradually decline as a result  of the higher quality of the new constructions and the higher costs of expropriation (due to improving property rights for residents).

According to the authors, the GDP for residential construction  will gradually decline from 9% in 2010 to 6% in 2020 and 2% in 2040.

Berkelmans and Wang stress the importance of steel in China’s construction boom, and argue that demand for steel will not increase in the short term. With continuous urbanisation and larger residential units, China will still require high amounts of foreign steel. Moreover, steel intensity may even increase in newly built residences, because of higher quality construction standards, higher buildings, and higher demand for underground car parks.

However, Berkelmans and Wang also note that, although demand for steel will still grow in the next few decades, steel recycling (resulting from demolition) will be more developed and will partly offset iron ore imports. But in the authors’ opinion, new opportunities will appear, and as a result   more steel will be demanded to develop infrastructures in the new urban areas.

The authors clearly note that their forecasts on China’s GDP and urban development rates are assumptions. . However, their calculations give us some hints about China’s urban trends up to 2040, as do the UN studies .  But, external factors, such as political and social reforms, may affect these trends. Furthermore, the historical comparison with other countries presented by the authors may not be very accurate, since concern for sustainable development is now progressively increasing in China. For example, the relation between income and floor space may not be verified if there is a political will to “save” spaces and control urban sprawl. Nevertheless, the authors’ assumptions will undoubtedly prove right on China’s high demand for steel.

The growth of China’s demand for steel is surely  good news for Australia, a major iron-ore producer. With this interesting study, we can understand that the  process of urban development occurring in China must be considered  a global phenomenon that may affect the economy of foreign countries (in our case, Australia) and reshape international relations.

  1. Leon Berkelmans, Hao Wang, Chinese urban residential construction to 2040, Reserve Bank of Australia, Economic group, Research Discussion paper 2012-04, September 2012. 31 p. Full text available on line []

Sebastien Goulard

Ph.D. in political science (EHESS, Paris); M.A. in social sciences (EHESS, Paris); M.A. in international relations (IRIS, Paris), B.A. (Hons) in international political studies (ESE - Nottingham Trent University)

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