International Rivalry in China’s Urban Electrification: Suzhou, Shenyang, and Harbin, 1910s to 1930s

This essay examines China’s urban electrification from the 1910s to the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 as a historical case study of how urban electricity became an arena of international rivalry between China and Japan. Using case studies of Suzhou, Shenyang, and Harbin, we reveal that Japan played a significant role in China’s urban electrification, providing startup money for the earliest electric light in many cities. However, Japanese investment was loaded with imperialist ambitions in China. The Chinese government and local communities interpreted urban electrification as a part of economic sovereignty. In Suzhou, the local community boycotted Japanese electricity. In Shenyang and Harbin, Japanese utilities were confronted by market competition from the Chinese community. The Sino-Japanese rivalries had different outcomes for the electrification process of Chinese cities. This essay re-evaluates Japan’s contribution to China’s urban electrification and highlights the geopolitical dimension of urban technology.