Endless cities: will China's new urbanisation just mean more sprawl?

The announcement that new megacity Xiongan will be built near Beijing is the latest attempt to take pressure off China's biggest metropolises. Can it work?

Wu Shuhua sells flowers from the back of her bicycle in the pleasant, tree-lined streets of Shanghai's Xuhui district. Originally from a village in neighbouring Jiangsu province, Wu came to the wealthy eastern city for its abundant economic opportunities.

But it isn't easy to make it big in Shanghai without education or connections. There are many flower sellers in the city - two other regulars work the same street - and most days Wu positions her bike on a strategic corner and waits patiently for customers.