ABSTRACT
For modern China, the possibility of developing the major city such as Beijing and Shanghai into an ‘internationalised metropolis’ was one to be earnestly desired.1 China was reckoned by its government to be under-urbanised in comparison to international norms, and cities were seen to be key locations in the process of economic development. Although I could have used such terms as ‘global city’, ‘world city’ or ‘megalopolis’ for this chapter, I have decided to stick with this concept of ‘internationalised metropolis’ because it reflects the Chinese official view of urbanisation. The chapter focuses on how far Beijing has realised the possibility of becoming an internationalised metropolis and what lessons can be learnt from this process of transformation.
