In 2005 the Hong Kong newspaper 'The Standard' reported that no less than 183 Chinese cities had the official ambition of becoming modern international metropolises. Urbanisation is the engine behind the economic, political and social advances in China. This book shows the influence of these unfamiliar cities on the world economy. After the explosive growth of vast cities on the Chinese coast near Peking, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the development is now spreading westwards. Metropolises are springing up like mushrooms in Central and Western China. Still, it takes more than just a large number of residents or skyscrapers, of course, to achieve metropolitan status. These vast cities still lack an international reputation, a lively cultural life, and the presence of different population groups. Or don't they?