Shenjing He, Professor of Urban Planning at the University of Hong Kong, discusses the often-overlooked inland and smaller cities in China, emphasising the need to understand Chinese urbanism beyond coastal cities. She highlights the concept of ”urban villages,” which are economically viable and provide livelihoods for migrants, but face challenges in gaining citizenship and urbanisation. Shenjing also explores the ”enterprising self” in Chinese urbanism, where middle-class individuals see themselves as shareholders in urban development. She warns of the unsustainable nature of urban development driven by speculation and debt, predicting a tough decade for China’s urbanisation due to economic downturns and the need for redevelopment of urban villages. Show notes are available on the Urban Studies Podcast website: urbanstudiesonline.com/podcast