Mind the border: housing development at the transboundary interface surrounding Beijing

This study reveals a distinct pattern of extensive residential development in China's minor towns and counties that are close to some of the country's largest cities. We stress that understanding the housing development and its dynamics at the transboundary interface requires a border viewpoint. By mobilising conceptualisations from the field of border studies, we unpack the meanings and functions of sub-national borders in the Chinese setting. According to the border theory, sub-national borders in China take on a range of functions beyond serving as simple demarcation lines that separate administrative territories, including points of interaction, indicators of difference, and signs of affirmation. Further, borders might have varying and opposing impacts, such as positive/negative and diminished/persistent roles. Consequently, the combined influences result in the dynamic development of the cross-border area. Drawing evidence from a case study of housing development in the border region surrounding Beijing, the paper sheds light on the role of borders as well as its implications on the dynamics of cross-border housing development in the Chinese context.