Contesting China’s engagement with neoliberal urbanism: An overview of the evolving policy and mismatches in urban China

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an in-depth understanding of China’s ongoing urban development by engaging with the theoretical dialogue of neoliberalism. It takes decentralization and marketization as the governance background to examine the evolving policy of land, housing and public service in China, with a particular focus on Chongqing. The mismatches experienced under the evolving policy are also discussed. Design/methodology/approach: By reviewing and consulting related literature, archives, statistical yearbooks, government reports, local newspapers and urban planning documents, this paper offers an overview of urban policy in China. The authors have also taken two field trips and conducted interviews in Chongqing in Summer 2012 and Winter 2013. Findings: This paper finds that urban China’s land, housing and public service markets have been re-regulated, with a rescaling of statehood, recalibration of central-local relations and reinvented urban governance in the post-reform era. These policies have evolved from the market-oriented principles of early reforms to a more hybrid approach for which the policies have matured and state intervention has been reintroduced. Mismatches have been generated by this evolution. Originality/value: This paper provides an up-to-date examination of new initiatives for policy adjustment in urban China, with a closer look at Chongqing, one of the most dynamic contemporary metropolises in the country. It has important implications for the debate over China’s engagement with neoliberal urbanism. Also, it empirically reveals the mismatches created by the latest policy initiatives.