RAS Lab for Sustainable Urbanization featured in the South China Morning Post

The South China Morning Post, a leading newspaper based in Hong Kong with an online readership of 35 million per month, has featured recent research from the Rudolf Agricola School’s Lab for Sustainable Urbanization. 

The article highlights a study authored by Tiankun Li, Michiel Daams, and Frans Sijtsma, which offers a long-term metropolitan perspective on the increasing phenomenon of population decline in Chinese cities. 

The findings reveal that nearly one third of Chinese cities are currently experiencing population decline. Approximately one quarter of China’s population now resides in cities undergoing shrinkage, which marks an increase of ten percentage points compared to five years ago. This trend is no longer limited to economically struggling areas, as cities across all regions of China are now affected. Notably, even large cities with populations exceeding one million are contributing significantly to the overall decline.

These developments have caught the attention of national policymakers, especially as China prepares its upcoming Five-Year Plan for the period 2026 to 2030. The paper has also sparked international interest. For example, a local Rotary Club based in Silicon Valley has already reached out to the research team to explore the broader implications of these findings.

This international recognition shines a light on the meaningful work emerging from the Lab for Sustainable Urbanization and its significance in driving forward global conversations on the future of urban development and sustainability.

Publication featured: Li, T., Daams, M. N., & Sijtsma, F. J. (2025). Shrinking cities in China: A long-term metropolitan perspective. Cities, 158, 105702. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2025.105702 

In close coordination with the newspaper’s China Editor, the research team also shared additional analyses based on updated data from the Lab.