Relativizing State Space: Deciphering China’s New Dynamics of Urban Transformation Engineered through the Creation of National New Areas

Abandonment of the taken-for-granted attitude territoriality in studies state space has been followed by diverse concerns and competing interpretations with different focuses notably on state–market relations, spatiality social life, relativization scale. Inspired Lefebvre’s spatial triad, applied textual analysis, in-depth interview, this study critically evaluates Chinese practices setting up National New Areas to reshape trajectory urban regional development using Liangjiang Area (LNNA). Our research foregrounds relativizing dimensions which creation LNNA was conceived, perceived, lived key stakeholders holding positions vested interests. The is manifestation special vision mission China’s national developmental agenda adjustment power relations within an authoritarian Party-state. However, it a controversial project requires negotiation, contestation, reconciliation among grassroots people. This shows that even China, there existed pervasive negotiation resistance from bottom up. suggests alternative perspective goes beyond popular dichotomy or society–space takes seriously dialectical forces at work (re)production space.