The economic damage wrought by lockdowns in major Chinese cities shows how over-reliance on them could harm long-term economic growth. The success of China’s ‘common prosperity’ and ‘dual circulation’ strategies will increasingly depend on unlocking the potential of inland cities.
The once-neglected central and central-western regions of China are experiencing a resurgence as industry and services flee the high costs of the big east coast cities. The success of these cities has only grown more important as the trade war makes domestic consumption critical.