> Quality of life is absolutely awful in Shanghai, where is the blue sky? where is the clean air? Traffic jams happen all the time
Two of the three points that you've mentioned are in regards to air pollution, as of recently China is actively working on reducing air pollution with definitive timelines [0]. As a side note, during the high growth era of the US (and presumably other currently developed countries), US cities had significantly higher air pollution than what is observed today [1].
Obviously the argument to be made here is not that Shanghai checks off all boxes for a "perfect" city today, but that it is as the author of the article suggests as the capital of the "future", primarily due to the continued high growth at the rate mentioned in the article.
Two of the three points that you've mentioned are in regards to air pollution, as of recently China is actively working on reducing air pollution with definitive timelines [0]. As a side note, during the high growth era of the US (and presumably other currently developed countries), US cities had significantly higher air pollution than what is observed today [1].
Obviously the argument to be made here is not that Shanghai checks off all boxes for a "perfect" city today, but that it is as the author of the article suggests as the capital of the "future", primarily due to the continued high growth at the rate mentioned in the article.
[0] https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/10711-C...
[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/Vintage-EPA-photos-reveal-wh...