J. King Saud Univ., Vol. 23, Arch. & Planning (2), pp. 41-58, Riyadh (2011/1432H.) 41 Hong Kong, Shanghai and Global Aspirations: Analytical Review and Lessons Learned Mahbubur Rahman Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur mmrahman417@gmail.com (Received 14/10/1430H.; accepted for publication 8/4/1431H.) Keywords: Global city, Culture, Economy, Infrastructure, Hong Kong, Shanghai. Abstract. Global cities are networked nodes, with multiple and intensive global flows of people, goods, services, ideas, and images. Given the myriad external linkages and orientation, this paper argues that the progress of some cities is not only aimed at economic and social emancipation; such advancements are only tools to attain global city status. This was often overtly expressed by the city authorities; in their quest for the status they have also competed with each other to attract economic and human resources by building necessary infrastructure, systems and spaces, and build up environmental and cultural infrastructure. This paper will specially highlight the aspiration of two Chinese cities, Hong Kong and Shanghai, for becoming global cities. This will compare their different contexts and backgrounds, and chart the ambitious path, mainly basing on secondary data. 1. Introduction Urban spaces, the outcome of spatial impression of the global economy, is a mixture of retail, infrastructure, industrial, leisure and residential facilities. Global cities require specific cultural capital too; thus iconic spaces and places as part of urban imaging strategies have been built to attract investment and tourism (Chang, 1997; Kearns and Philo, 1993), through the (re)invention of place- based heritage (Logan, 2001). Cities with such aspirations have thus increasingly strived to create more of such often monumental structures for supporting a vibrant cultural life that attracts and sustains global human and economic flows. The paper discusses their roles in marketing particularly two Chinese cities, as well as the confluences and contradictions between global city aspirations, national imperatives, and everyday lives. The first two sections discuss global cities in the Asian context before reviewing government vision, local aspirations, planning and development efforts geared towards achieving the coveted status, particularly after attaining certain economic progress by two Chinese cities. A comparative analysis concludes the paper. 2. Globalization Globalization is a process facilitated and enacted in strategic locations according to a hierarchy of importance in international finance and trade. The entity exerts a direct and tangible effect on complex global affairs through socio-economic means. Sassen (1991) first used the term for a process of increasing the connectivity and interdependence of the world’s businesses and markets that transforms local phenomena into global by which the people of the world become one society to function together. 2.1. Global city criteria Though New York, London, Tokyo and Paris were undisputed as the main world cities, the criteria based on a ‘yard-stick value’ or an ‘imminent determination’ can affect others. Such criteria include, among others, name familiarity, influence on world affairs, population, airport, transportation (highways, multi-mode system), international cultures and communities, foreign businesses and expatriate population, international financial bodies, law firms, head quarters (HQs) and stock exchanges, high-speed communication, world-renowned cultural institutions, lively culture (film festivals, thriving music/theater, street performers), cultural places (orchestra, opera,