Recent data released by local authorities has shown that four Chinese cities accounted for a disproportionate share on national output in 2017, reports the SCMP.
Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou together contributed 10 trillion yuan ($1.56 trillion) to GDP, an eighth of the total figure, according to the data. However, only 5% of the nation’s population is concentrated in these cities, suggesting a poor distribution of the nation’s resources from the side of the central government.
The current framework sets up a system of economic hubs to which workers from less-developed Western regions come in search of work and a higher standard of living. Whilst this can further economic activity, experts warn of upward pressure on housing prices, higher pollution, and higher crime levels.
Municipal governments have responded by attempting to contain population growth in these cities. Shanghai has set itself the cap of 25 million by 2035, and Beijing has already begun a series of evictions of migrant workers from certain areas of the city.
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