The Dynamic of Guangzhou Development: Urban Villages

A visual essay concerning how efficient and inclusive governance works via analysing the urban villages issue in Guangzhou

PLAN7614 Urban Management & Governance in Developing CountriesDeyi Wang 43831733

Introduction

“Urban Village” is the product of rapid urbanisation. It is a rural-urban structure, and it provides housing to rural migrants. Urban villages are enclosed by skyscrapers and regarded as “an eyesore” because of their striking contrast to the urban context. Buildings in urban communities are extremely high density and low stories. Rural migrants constructed them without planning instructions. People live in such areas with few green space or public space(Yang, 2011).

Figure 1

Severe Infrastructure Issue

The electric wires which connected between buildings without any cover are overlapping. They provide power, communication and the Internet supply. Once there is an accident, the whole power, communication, and the Internet system of urban villages will collapse. Beside this, there are safe concerns. Especially a rainy day, there presumably is a short circuit because of a rainy day.

Figure 2

Illegal Building Structure

To maximise the building area, cantilevered structure was added from the third floor, which in turn lead to high density and “handshake” building (the tidy interval between two balconies enough people to shake hand). In some buildings, the interval just no more than 1 meter that makes life inconvenient.

Figure 3

Live with Rubble and Rubbish

Some reconstruction projects continue a couple of years, after “demolition”, the base is full of rubbles and construction rubbish. The related staff or workers do not want to spend extra money to remove them. More ridiculously, the process probably ceases after destroying. Rural migrants’ living environment is extremely severe(Young, 2012).

Figure 4

From “Demolition” to “Regeneration”

One of the street cadres pointed out that the previous hurricane-like work pattern (finish demolition and construction process in a short time) is unsuitable for the present comprehensive measures. Policy- makers should complete urban villages’ redevelopment from the current conditions rather than turning the urban communities into a flat ground.

Figure 5

Capacity Enhancement

In order to improve administrative management capabilities as well as professional knowledge and reduce the cost, related management apartments will launch several training courses to help their staff and other people from informal institutions. The government also regularly invites some professors and technicians to share their outcomes of research and techniques.

Figure 6

Decentralization

In an effort to promote work efficiency, alleviate the work pressure and lower administrative costs, governments decentralise and empower non-state institutions with more autonomy. Furthermore, this is an efficient approach to encouraging other organisations’ participation and listen to the different views of all directions. Non-state actors could also supervise the government.

Figure 7

Transparency

The local government or the village committee will post up every regeneration project or the latest news on the notice board. It lists leader groups, content, master plans, related approaches and telephone and mobile phone number from leaders to operators even security men and cleaners.

Figure 8

Online Petition

The government opens online petition function for citizens including rural migrants in urban villages. Individuals can provide their suggestions, complaints, feedbacks, and evaluations. Save the costs of time. The website also includes the dynamic work and announcement of the government, which makes citizens more easily to participate in government affairs.

Figure 9

Conclusion

In order to improve the efficiency and inclusiveness of governance, Guangzhou government changed its previous planning strategies to advanced comprehensive strategies. What is more, the government decentralises and empowers other institutions to participate and self-organized their living area. The government also makes policies more transparent and welcome citizens supervise its staff and management process.

Figure 10

ReferencesImage 1: Source: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/02/the-urban-villages-of-china.html

Yang, Z. (2011). University Libraries. Retrieved from Ball State University: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/123456789/194791

Image 2: Source: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=zh-CN&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fgd.qq.com%2Fa%2F20151109%2F016581.htm

Image 3: Source: http://urbz.net/urban-villages-of-guangzhou/Image 4: Source:

https://adamrobertyoung.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/xiancun-village-a-brave-fight-and-sad-loss/

Young, A. R. (2012, 7 14). A Brave Fight and Sad Loss. Retrieved from Wordpress: https://adamrobertyoung.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/xiancun-village-a-brave-fight-and-sad-loss/

Image 5: Source: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ycwb.com%2FePaper%2Fycwb%2Fhtml%2F2015-11%2F05%2Fcontent_830797.htm%3Fdiv%3D-1

Image 6: Source: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gz.gov.cn%2Fgzccjg%2Fgzdt%2F201608%2F29e5b34a56754879b5119b47f09244b8.shtml

Image 7: Source:http://polyucrdn.eksx.com/userfiles/file/Dr_%20He%20Shen%20Jing%20(English).pdf

ReferencesImage 8: Source: http://www.itdp-china.org/ennews/?newid=12&lang=1Image 9: Source:

https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=zh-CN&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gz12345.gov.cn%2Findex.ht

Image 10: Source: https://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=zh-CN&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fzh.house.163.com%2F14%2F1024%2F09%2FA9AFSMRE02210JNU.html