China is undergoing a process of unprecedented urbanisation, with cities often being built from scratch in just three to five years. It is projected that 400 new cities will be built over the next 20 years with newly urbanised populations of over 240 million. So rapid and intense is this process that consumption of energy and natural resources is outstripping supply, posing unique challenges for the creation of sustainable cities. This issue focuses on how cities are being today and how their development is to impact on the future of cities worldwide.