Empty Cities in China

I’ve written about it before, but only today found this video about the subject of empty cities in China.   When I was in China, we learned about the cities and areas where multistoried housing was built and all the support services from shopping centres, to government offices, schools and more.  There are lakes, schools, parks, and more. All ready waiting for the people.  Who never seemed to come.

It is eerie walking through an empty shopping mall or along the footpaths of an empty city.  We often saw workmen putting on the finishing touches.  Huge fully grown trees would be shipped in and planted around the parks or along the roadway and within weeks they look like they have been there for years.  It is a little spooky.  I’ve been in cars with locals as we drive to a certain destination and drive through one of these ghost cities.

The Chinese seem to not even blink.  But we (Aussies) look at it all in wonder.  How could this be?

It certainly has helped to keep the workers busy.  There are so many workers and they work hard and the buildings are finished in far quicker time that we’d see in Australia.

Buying and Not Renting.

One thing that I know the Chinese do, is buy apartments in these complexes, but in most cases they own them and no one will live in them.   They count on the increase in value of the property.  Maintenance is the minimum.  So they say!

It is what is happening in Australia as wealthy Chinese folk are buying units in Australia, but not renting them out – thus not helping the housing shortage in Australia.

Photo by John Salvino from Unsplash.com

My friends and I wonder what the future is for these ghost cities. So much money is spent on them.  At night there’s hardly a light on.  Dark, empty apartments.