Beware ‘First Colonization’

Steer the Chinese from suburban, driving culture

Tens of millions of Chinese urbanites are living in gated communities. Advertisements for new suburban homes dominate Chinese subways and outdoor billboards, a phenomenon virtually nonexistent 10 years ago.

Polling conducted by Rice University’s Shell Center for Sustainability’s Coastal Cities project shows that almost as high a percentage of Chinese urbanites from Shanghai, Shenzhen and Tianjin are as worried about traffic congestion, air pollution and quality of schools as Houstonians.


This “First Colonization” of China has huge implications for global energy markets. Already, Chinese oil demand has risen from 116 million tons in 1990 to 327 million tons in 2005.

Baker Institute research shows that as per capita income rises between $5,000 and $12,000, vehicle stocks per person in a developing nation can increase by as much as a factor of 20. This correlation is important because many nations, including China and India, are seeing per capita income increases to this critical “launching point” for car ownership.

Houston Chronicle