Urban Production from Manufacturing to Financialisation : the Case of China

During the twentieth Century, urban production theories considered manufacturing as the main engine for development. Today, financialization of real estate as well as mobile consumer’s expenses have developed at a larger scale and play an increasing role. We argue that this shift affects the Global South as well as the Global North. The Chinese case shows the relevance of a territorial approach, taking into account the various processes of creating value and of how they interplay within the urban space. This approach makes it possible to understand why some cities/regions are more able to develop in relation to others.