Markets and Media in 21st Century China

The big Chinese cities, just like big cities anywhere else in the world, look kind of the same: wide avenues, public buses, green parks and laundry out of the balconies are all part of the typical view. One certain way to distinguish between cities, however, is to pay attention to the cars people drive. An especially vivid example of how specific some cars are to some cities and thus to how decentralized the country actually is, is the differences between the taxis.

In Shanghai all the cabs were VW Santana, in Wuhan – Citroën Elysee, in Beijing - Hyundai Elantra. Actually that trend reflected the fact that each model was produced by the factories of that city.

The most interesting fact about the streets of China, however, is that you can see as many American cars as European. Nowhere in the world have I seen a Peugeot right next to a Buick. Peugeot and Citroën don’t even sell in the US – an understandable but also an increasingly unwise decision since the States have a higher demand for small cars, a demand mostly Japanese owned brands satisfy. And seeing a Chrysler or a Chevy in Europe is quite an event since it is almost impossible.

It’s kind of funny – China has been trying to isolate itself from the world for years. Now it brings the world together!

Margarita Antonvoa