*5.3. Foshan*

Foshan is the closest neighbour of Guangzhou. The two cities not only share common borders, but their urban areas are closely linked. Foshan's urban development history is similar to that of Guangzhou as Foshan also incorporated four independent cities (Shunde, Nanhai, Sanshui, and Gaoming) in 2003 (Figure 7). Like Guangzhou, its urban structure can be also regarded as a network of cities. However, the local government of Foshan is much weaker than Guangzhou. Foshan municipal government has less control over the former-city districts compared to Guangzhou, resulting in the fact that Foshan's district governments have higher levels of autonomy when it comes to the deployment of land and capital. As a result, Foshan district governments have more decision-making powers regarding urban development, including new towns. This is apparent in the case of Shunde, which became a special district level government directly under the administration of Guangdong provincial government. Thus, Foshan and Shunde, even after their integration, are still independent from each other and have separate fiscal and budgetary systems. As such, Foshan's municipal government has little administrative power over Shunde.

The local government of Foshan has two main goals in the area of urban development: To strengthen the urban development of central area; and to build closer relationship with Guangzhou for more cross-border business and communications with the concept of 'Guangzhou and Foshan as one city' (*Guang Fo tongcheng*). New towns play a key role in Foshan's urban development and are the main mechanism to achieve the two goals outlined above. By mapping new town development in Foshan, one of the noticeable differences between Foshan, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen is that Foshan's new towns are generally much bigger in size. Many of them are as big as the largest ones in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and the average size is several times bigger. This suggests that Foshan is more ambitious in land development and urban expansion.

*Sustainability* **2020**, *12*, x FOR PEER REVIEW 14 of 20

**Figure 7.** New town projects in Foshan. **Figure 7.** New town projects in Foshan.

There are six new towns (No. 1–5 and 8 in Table 4) located in and near the urban central area, and other four new towns (No. 6, 7, 9, 10) located in suburban district centres (Figure 7). Qiandenghu (No. 4) was the pilot project of Guangzhou and Foshan integration strategy as the two cities signed an official integration cooperating agreement in 2009. Qiandenghu is regarded as a successful bridge linking two cities and it also became Foshan's 'urban living room'. This has become a prestigious brand of new town development in Foshan. As a result, some new town projects have branded themselves as 'the second Qiandenghu'. Sanshan low-carbon city (No. 8) is one of these projects. It is considered as an integration project due to its proximity to Guangzhou's high-speed rail station area, which provides fast connections to the high-speed rail network. Although it was branded as the first low-carbon city in Guangdong province, it is not much different to other residential new towns close to railway stations. Foshan new town (No. 3) was one of the first new towns planned by Foshan local government but is located inside Shunde administrative area, resulting in conflicts about property rights and land-leasing revenues between the governments of Foshan and Shunde. In 2013, Foshan new town was transferred to the government of Shunde, together with land and fiscal rights. There are six new towns (No. 1–5 and 8 in Table 4) located in and near the urban central area, and other four new towns (No. 6, 7, 9, 10) located in suburban district centres (Figure 7). Qiandenghu (No. 4) was the pilot project of Guangzhou and Foshan integration strategy as the two cities signed an official integration cooperating agreement in 2009. Qiandenghu is regarded as a successful bridge linking two cities and it also became Foshan's 'urban living room'. This has become a prestigious brand of new town development in Foshan. As a result, some new town projects have branded themselves as 'the second Qiandenghu'. Sanshan low-carbon city (No. 8) is one of these projects. It is considered as an integration project due to its proximity to Guangzhou's high-speed rail station area, which provides fast connections to the high-speed rail network. Although it was branded as the first low-carbon city in Guangdong province, it is not much different to other residential new towns close to railway stations. Foshan new town (No. 3) was one of the first new towns planned by Foshan local government but is located inside Shunde administrative area, resulting in conflicts about property rights and land-leasing revenues between the governments of Foshan and Shunde. In 2013, Foshan new town was transferred to the government of Shunde, together with land and fiscal rights.

**Table 4.** Information of new towns in Foshan.

1 Chanxi New Town Municipal CBD 36.8 km2 2013

3 Foshan/Dongping New Town Municipal CBD 88.6 km2 2003

6 Gaoming Xijiang New Town District gov. District centre 20 km2 2009 7 Beijiao New Town District gov. - - 2008 8 Sanshan low-carbon city Municipal Eco-city 23.8 km2 2010

tech Zone Municipal CBD axis 6.5 km2/18 km2

new town

**Area** 

km2/128.22 km2

92 km2/8.58 km2 2015

**First Planned** 

1999/2007

2001

 **Name Initiative Branding Overall Area/Booting** 

2 Zhangcha/Foshan Smart City Municipal Smart city 26.5 km2

9 Sanshui New Town District gov. RBD 13.95 km2/56.9

10 Desheng/Shunde New Town District gov. District centre 70 km2/6.5 km2

5 Foshan West Station New Town Municipal High-speed Railway

4 Qiandenghu/Guangdong Financial and High-


**Table 4.** Information of new towns in Foshan.

In general, new town development in Foshan is different from that in Guangzhou and Shenzhen in several respects. First, Foshan is still in a period of rapid urban expansion, in which new towns are the major mechanism for implementing urban growth. Most new towns in Foshan are large-scale projects. Unlike in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, new towns in Foshan are outlined in a district plan (*fenqu guihua*), a detailed version of an urban master plan for urban districts [61]. Second, Foshan is highly dependent on land-leasing revenue. Its pro-growth model of urban development resembles the model found in typical medium sized cities in China, which carry the risks of overdevelopment and local debt.
