Sanya, China: Tropical climate and the rise of a small city

This paper examines the urban development and entrepreneurialism of Sanya, a small tropical Chinese city. Over the past decades, it has transformed from a marginal place to an emerging city with increasing regional and national influence. The representation and exploitation of the tropics are integral to Sanya's entrepreneurial practices and make huge impacts on its urban trajectories. The tropical city serves as naval and agricultural bases and destinations for tourism and health-related mobilities. Prompted by booming tourism and real estate industries, its urban space undergoes profound transformation, which is manifest in three aspects - urban sprawl from the riverside to the seafront, urban renewal, and the construction of new towns. The urbanization of Sanya is also shaped by dynamic central-local interactions, with intensified state interventions in recent years. The profile provides pertinent experiences of urban development for other small cities in China and beyond and enriches our understanding of the relationships between climate and urban development.