What it looks like to me is this: Beijing decides that innovation needs to be a key focus for the economy (for face maybe). It announces funding, sets developm

What it looks like to me is this: Beijing decides that innovation needs to be a key focus for the economy (for face maybe). It announces funding, sets development goals for local politicians, and writes the buzzwords in all new economic plans and development documents. Local developers and politicians read that, and their instincts kick in - they know now that any development that can show "innovation" will get a green light and throw themselves into it head first. So now, any new development that goes on is not "grass roots" or "green" or "core" - it's innovative, creative. So a bunch of pretty standard, low quality office buildings go up, but now they're called 'Creative Parks'. Rent is low for any business that is 'creative'. So local entrepreneurs fill them with creative businesses - fashion studios, wedding photographers, ad agencies, designers. The businesses do well because they are effectively getting direct government support and investment, and because there's no other genuinely creative competition around to challenge them. Innovation all round! It's a blunt and wasteful approach. It won't necessarily encourage creativity, innovation, new approaches, risk taking. More likely at best it will create a superficial impression of innovative industries, and maybe, maybe that might result in some innovation. This is the China way, and the reason China isn't a global creative or innovative superpower. <Mic drop>