The Emergence of New African "Trading Posts" in Hong Kong and Guangzhou

At a time when China is strengthening its economic ties with African countries both by sourcing raw materials and tapping a large consumer goods market, African traders are expanding their presence in China. Making the most of the conditions offered by the authorities, they have opened trading posts in Hong Kong and Guangzhou in order to sell products manufactured elsewhere in China for African customers. These traders are at the forefront of a new migration wave. This article analyses their profiles and itineraries before exploring their impact on the transformation of two specific locations: Chunking Mansions in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, and the Xiao Beilu area in Guangzhou.

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Shanghai: City Planning “With a Human Face”: The Case of the Gubei Pedestrian Promenade (GPP): The Pedestrianisation of a Densely Populated Area

ABSTRACT: Ever since Expo 2010 was held in Shanghai, the city has been trying to present an image of itself as having the capacity to offer amenities that are more environmentally friendly and that contribute to an improved quality of life. This article aims to show that a locally-enacted facility – far from the much-publicised monumental developments – can constitute a high point of urban activity, an example that contributes to cultivating the sought-after identity of a modern city concerned about the sustainability of its actions. Thanks to a singular grouping of actors from the public, semi-public, and private sectors, the Gubei Pedestrian Promenade (GPP) in the western district of Changning laid the principles of a sustainable urban planning programme ten years before the publication of Shanghai’s New City Plan, resetting the ways for building the city. From today’s perspective, this initiative could be seen as a manifestation of this new way of imagining the city. KEYWORDS: public pedestrian space, urban design, urban renewal, public/private cooperation, Shanghai.

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