Opinion | Wuhan to spend 40 billion yuan on 'European town'

People who cannot afford a trip to Europe might consider going to Wuhan.

The new town aims to attract tourists, businesses, as well as home owners seeking quality housing, a local government official said.

Real estate developer Greenland Holdings has been selected as the contractor. It plans to finish the project within five years.

Wuhan’s ambition to build the “one and only” European town in central China baffles me. As wonderful as it sounds, what’s the point of spending so much money building a “fake” foreign town? Wouldn’t tourists prefer to enjoy traditional Chinese culture in Hubei?

Central China enjoys a rich history dating back thousands of years. I guess it just stopped sounding “profitable” to policy makers.