[Hot Rod]

Currently:

1) Shanghai
2) Beijing
3) Hong Kong
4) Guangzhou
5) Shenzhen
6) Chongqing

In 5 years:

1) Shanghai
2) Beijing
3) Hong Kong
4) Chongqing
5) Guangzhou

in 10 years:

1) Shanghai
2) Chongqing
3) Hong Kong
4) Beijing
5) Tianjin

in 20+ years? who knows if Chongqing will beat Shanghai. But I think it is very safe to say that Chongqing will always be a top 5 Chinese city, starting a few years from now once current development/construction matures and new ones come online. I think today it is just below the top 5 mark.

I can totally see Chongqing and Shanghai battling it out for the #1 and #2 spot - totally ala New York and Chicago. This mostly because China has many coastal cities that 'steal' away Shanghai's undisputed International Finance/trade thunder a bit.

Can you imagine if Shanghai didn't have Shenzhen or Hong Kong or Guangzhou or a host of other big coastal port cities to compete with (similar to New York's dominance in America)? Having these other players tempers Shanghai a bit, allowing Chongqing to catch up significantly with it's more domestic agenda.

I totally see Shanghai running the International agenda for China, with Chongqing being the undisputed Domestic agenda leader - again, ala New York and Chicago, or Tokyo vs. Osaka. Definitely love seeing the city grow and mature into a tastefully done MONSTER. ......

Chongqing does have an international airport, btw. It may not be too big now, but there are plans for it. I think it will really take off bigtime once transit options to Jiangbei International Airport improve (like the new subway).