Governing urban redevelopment: A case study of Yongqingfang in Guangzhou, China

Chinese cities have experienced large-scale urban demolition and renewal. An extensive body of literature de-scribes urban demolition and displacement through the dynamics of property-led redevelopment and gentrifi-cation. Rising social contestation is recently noted in the literature. However, a pilot project in Guangzhou introduced an approach of 'micro-rehabilitation' or 'small-scale renovation' (weigaizao) in 2015. Since then, it has become an exemplar of the new urban redevelopment policy in China. In this pilot project, generating land profits is not a policy objective. Rather, employment creation and neighbourhood conservation are explicitly required. We find that although the project is operated by Vanke, the major property developer in China, the change of policy from demolition to minor refurbishment and rehabilitation reflects the role of the state. Despite preserving the traditional housing style, the neighbourhood has been transformed from residential uses to offices, shops, museums and hotels for tourists. This micro-rehabilitation, in fact, has generated significant impacts.

Automated summary

Chinese cities have undergone extensive urban demolition and renewal, but a pilot project in Guangzhou introduced a new approach called "micro-rehabilitation." This approach focuses on preserving traditional housing styles, creating employment opportunities, and transforming neighborhoods into commercial and tourist areas, rather than solely pursuing land profits. This project has had significant impacts on urban redevelopment in China.