Legitimising city-regional governance in China’s market socialism: insights from intercity railway projects

This study examines the legitimacy of city-regional governance in China by analysing state-business relations and the ideological tensions between socialism and market reforms. Using the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou Intercity Railway (HST railway) as a case study, it explores how decentralisation, financial collaboration and state-business negotiations influence governance legitimacy. Findings suggest that devolving authority and private sector involvement enhance legitimacy through economic growth, while central oversight maintains socialist alignment. This study underscores how Chinese city-regional governance derives legitimacy from performance-based authorisation rather than democratic accountability, contributing to the broader understanding of evolving perceptions of legitimacy.