Part 2/12:
Most of China’s population resides outside the major metropolitan centers of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. These county towns are where the majority of Chinese people live, work, and continue their daily routines. Walking through these towns reveals a stark contrast to the bustling urban images often projected internationally.
In these areas, there’s a peculiar mix of superficial modernization—brightly lit government buildings, new highways, and slogans promising revitalization—and a deep underlying decay. The once-vibrant local economies are now sluggish or outright collapsing, evidenced by empty shopping malls, shuttered storefronts, and a noticeable lack of activity.