Accessibility statement

Yuhan Xiao

Title of Research:

The Political Rails of Development: Understanding the Rapid Expansion of China's Railway Industry as a Facet of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics.

Brief overview of research topic:

This thesis explores the role of China’s railway beyond transportation, examining its political, economic, and social significance. The primary research question is: What explains the rapid development of China's railway industry in the past 20 years? A secondary question addresses the political factors driving this growth. Drawing upon literature on nation-building, varieties of capitalism (VoC), the Asian developmental state (DS), and Chinese political economy, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of how the railway sector has shaped and been shaped by broader political and economic strategies in China’s modernization process.

photo of Yuhan Xiao

Contact details

Yuhan is supervised by Professor Martin Smith and Dr Jappe Eckhardt