The Chinese and architecture

For all I know, this Youtube channel may be operated by an "influencer" funded by the Chinese government.  (Certainly, the comments following the videos nearly all read like pro-China propaganda.)

That said, I am still pretty amazed at the modern architecture these videos display from China.   I will post two examples:

 

 This second one looks in parts like a CGI generated skyline - perhaps the high definition video helps with that impression. But it's (apparently!) all real, in part of Shanghai, even if part of this development is still not complete yet: 

 

Seeing these videos also made me think about examples of dramatic architecture from Singapore, and how it is mainly an ethnic Chinese place as well.   What has drawn China (and the Chinese?) to these very impressive feats of modern architecture?    

I see a post at a website from 2017 called "Chinese architecture - spectacular or eccentric?" includes this paragraph:

For years, China has been an architect’s playground, with lucrative funding and interest in foreign ‘starchitects’ giving rise to imaginative buildings. In 2016, China’s State Counceil released new urban planning guidelines. According to the document, “odd-shaped’ buildings” — or “bizarre architecture that is not economical, function, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly” would be forbidden in the future. The document follows a 2014 call by Chinese President Xi Jinping for less “weird architecture” to be built.

I'm not sure that this call worked.  And it seems a pity, in that distinctive architecture is, generally speaking, awesome.