Wanyun Ying

Profile

2017.10- Current., PhD Candidate, Human Geography
2016 Visiting Student, Graduate Institute of Urban Planning, National Taipei University

Research interests

Project overview

The history of China’s regional development is a complicated process interwined with notable economic and social disparities over last 70 years. For the purpose of promoting balanced economic development and social stability, China's central state has initiated  a series of region-building projects/programs since late 1990s which simultaneously affect on the restructuring of China's territorial politics and development model. Previous literature mainly focuses on state-led region-building projects in the rich coastal regions and stresses the crucial roles of central state and local governments in developing these projects (Ye 2014; Li, Xu and Yeh 2014; Li and Wu 2018; Luo and Shen 2008). However, the distinctive context and characteristics of region-building projects set in lagging regions are seriously neglected along with overlooked roles of provincial government invloved in their formation and implementation. Accordingly, a case study, that of Wanjiang City Belt (Wanjiang chengshi dai) (WCB) in Anhui province, will be chosen to supply these gaps.

Aims/objectives

The overarching aim of this thesis is to explore the nature of state-led region-building in China, in terms of regional disparities, territorial politics and complexity of institutionalization by highlighting the role of provincial government. It will explore the context and motivations behind the creation of regions, the governmental input that are desinged and used to construct the region-building , and it will investigate the relationships among different actors invloved in the institutionalization of region-building as well as its influence on region-building outcomes. In doing so, my research will reach back to a more general literature, and insert its conclusions into discussions on the nature of region, on the politics of scale and on the unintended consequences of polices.

Qualifications

  • MEng, Urban and Rural Planning, Nanjing University
  • BEng, Urban and Rural Planning, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology