September 7, 2011
By Sean Bettam

A decade ago, China implemented an "Open up the West" program to shift investment from the prosperous coastal cities that have flourished since the 1980s to rural inland provinces. The program aims to increase development of infrastructure, entice foreign investment and attract international commercial activity, while ensuring environmental protection in the wake of all this change. Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is one of the first cities to benefit from this new direction.

A group of geography and Asia-Pacific studies students recently visited Chengdu to observe the program's impact, examining issues around sustainable development in the city and its outlying areas and exploring the role of different social actors in the transformation process. The visit also provided an opportunity for students to see how reconstruction efforts following the massive Sichuan earthquake in 2008 address the needs of residents, and the ways these efforts also fit with the larger development strategy for the region.

"I saw how quickly the city is growing and developing in many ways," said Trinity College environmental studies and human geography student Andrea Sward. "I am very impressed by how much thought and commitment goes into urban planning and also how quickly their plans go into action. I have never seen anything like it before."

The trip, part of the Faculty of Arts & Science Internationalized Course Modules program, was led by geography professor Alana Boland with the assistance of Jessica Wilczak, a geography PhD student doing fieldwork in the region. "By visiting Chengdu and re-engaging the themes explored in their classes, students had a chance to witness the complex set of relationships shaping urban futures in this incredibly dynamic region of China - and the world," said Boland.

Students visited different areas in and around Chengdu, including older Tibetan neighborhoods, newer business districts, and recent housing developments. "Most of our time was spent in the city, but we also went out to the countryside," explained Sward. "It was interesting to see the transition from the older style of farming to the newer." The students had the opportunity to explore the city's art scene as well, with the guidance of a local art historian, and meet with artists in their workspaces. "Performance art plays an important role in environmental activism in Chengdu and was a topic that came up several times during our trip."

They also explored items of their own interest with partner students from China's Southwest Minorities University, such as the use of public space, the impact of the city's new subway on neighbourhoods, and the changing cultures of commerce. These smaller projects allowed them to examine the effects of  development on people's everyday lives in places such as teahouses, parks and shopping streets.

"Being able to talk with locals about the different developments in Chengdu gave us firsthand perspectives and a better understanding of the transition," Sward said. "I now have an even stronger interest in China's developments."