上海特色小镇负责人齐聚吴泾讨论转型发展 - 2018年05月22日

So-called "characteristic towns" are a trendy way of developing rural areas, and they're spreading in China like mushrooms after rain.

Shanghai has nine such state-level towns, along with more than 100 suburban towns.

The notion of characteristic towns was first put forward in Zhejiang Province to refer to suburban areas featuring outstanding culture, industry or technology.

But how should each town develop its own "characteristic," and what should local authorities do to strike a balance between economy and ecology?