Excellent overview, but I think there is an element missing from the discussion. From your description, China is in the middle of a deliberate urbanizing growth strategy. In the United States, we have several urban regions which either are close to, or already have, reached build out.
Build out changes the nature of planning questions from “What is the most efficient and/or fair way to grow?” to “How do we maintain a viable system which is conducive to the public health, safety and welfare?” Shifting the question also shifts the nature of the quantitative tools and methods necessary to get a useful answer.
From what you describe, the Chinese don’t see themselves as anywhere near finished. So, this raises the following question: Leaving aside the issue of cultural differences, how much of the contemporary American context applies to China?
I would be very interested to hear from you or anyone else reading this blog.

Mike Greenwald – UW Milwaukee