Aric Chen concentrates on economic and technological development in China’s remote provinces. He points to two key developments. The emergence of the internet as an invasive technology has created the opportunity for new economic development in the provinces. Online shopping platforms, such as Taobao, are building factories and logistics centers in previously rural regions. In addition, the countryside is being discovered as a retreat for the urban population. Traditional materials and artificial intelligence (AI) are being used in the new construction projects.
“Nature is a construct and has been constructed in different ways across cultures throughout history.”
— Aric Chen
