It&#x27;s a complex issue. There are no &quot;exurbs&quot; in China. There is no concept of clean countryside living except maybe coastal cities like Quingdao that are pleasant if not in the center of commerce.<p>People want to live in the first tier cities. The growth of these cities was, until recently, powered by fast construction of new coal fueled power plants. The pay is higher, the public amenities are better, and, relatively, the pollution isn&#x27;t as bad as living next to paper mills and aluminum smelters.