This book examines critically how the Chinese government has proactively engaged the nine cities and two special administrative regions in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in Southern China for deeper collaborations in order to transform the country from the ¿World Factory¿ to become a leading world economy in innovation and entrepreneurialism. While most of the existing research related to Chinäs GBA development offers the economic and technological advancement perspectives, this book focuses on critical reflections upon how the call for megacity development and deeper regional collaborations in the Bay Area will affect people¿s livelihoods, social integration and urban governance. The central theme of this book builds around ¿Cities, Social Cohesion and Governance.¿ Based upon policy and document analysis, first-hand fieldwork and surveys, and intensive interviews with major stakeholders responsible for pushing the Greater Bay Area development, this book offers not only regional perspectives in analyzing the Greater Bay Area development through comparing and contrasting development experiences within the country¿s different bay economies like the Shanghai and Zhejiang Bay Area and Beijing and Bohai Bay Area. The present book also draws comparative and international insights from other well- established bay economies like Tokyo Bay, Florida Bay and New York Bay Areas when analyzing the development in the GBA in China.

Ka Ho Mok is the Vice President and concurrently Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Comparative Policy of Lingnan University. Before joining Lingnan, he was the Vice President (Research and Development) and Chair Professor of Comparative Policy of The Hong Kong Institute of Education and the Associate Dean and Professor of Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences of The University of Hong Kong.   

Chapter 1. Introduction Background, Research Objectives, Major Research Questions, Research Design, and Structure of the Book.- Chapter 2. Policy Background for the Greater Bay Area Development in South China.- Chapter 3. GBA Development Opportunities and Challenges: Peoples' Evaluations.- Chapter 4. The Call for Mega-City Development: Rivalry between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.- Chapter 5. Cross-border Learning and Employment: Policy Ideals and Implementation Reality.- Chapter 6. Social Cohesion and Social Policy Reforms in China.- Chapter 7. Contracting-out Social Services from Regional Perspectives.- Chapter 8. Searching for New Social Governance and State-NGO Relationships.- Chapter 9. Social Welfare Expansion and Changing Welfare Approaches.- Chapter 10. Cities and Social Integration: Challenges for Policy and Governance.- Chapter 11. Conclusion.