What role do professional planners play in a rapidly urbanizing China? Previous studies have looked in general at planning in China, but specific examples of planners’ work have been limited. We highlight three examples of planning-in-action that reveal the range of roles planners play in relation to local governments. In particular, we identify three ways Chinese planners provide input into the development process: negotiating for a middle ground between their opinions and the priorities of officials, providing technical analysis that can both inform and legitimize government decisions, and deliberately advocating for a position in the face of a conflicting agenda.
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