Build a people-oriented urbanization: China’s new-type urbanization dream and Anhui model

Since 2014, the Chinese government has initiatednew-type urbanization under the guidance of ‘the National New-type Urbanization Plan (2014–2020)’, which embarks on a significant transformation of the model of urbanization in post-reform China. To understand the origin and outputs of this policy, this article demonstrates the context of China’s new-type urbanization. The paper proposes a conceptual framework of new-type urbanization, which mainly includes four aspects: humanism, people-oriented urbanization; inclusivism, benefits sharing for urban and rural; sustainability, development without sacrifice of resources and environment; and harmonism, coordination. This is followed by an examination of the case of Anhui province, as a pilot province of China’s new-type urbanization. Anhui has performed a lot of related work to promote citizenization of peasant workers and has made great progress on the reform of the household registration system. The study found that despite a special emphasis on people-oriented urbanization, the pressures and costs of citizenization of peasant workers are growing fast, accompanied by rising housing prices in cities. This insight suggests there are benefits and costs of promoting China’s new-type urbanization. Despite the advantages of institutional innovation, the unexpected side effects such as rapid rising housing prices actually undermine the success of plan implementation.     

中国城市人口与建成区土地面积异速生长关系分析——基于652个设市城市的实证研究

研究目的:揭示近年中国城市人口与建成区土地面积规模的发展特征。研究方法:在面板数据中运用分形理论的城市位序—规模分布法则和异速生长模型,对中国设市城市进行实证研究。研究结果:(1)以城区人口规模和建成区土地面积作为衡量城市规模的指标,其规模分布均符合位序—规模法则,且模型拟合判定系数均在0.93—0.96之间,证明拟合优度较好;(2)在剔除人口为10万的临界值以下城市后发现人口—建成区土地面积异速生长标度指数b均在0.85以上,表明中国城市处于正异速生长阶段;(3)大城市建成区土地面积过大,人口数量基本饱和,应合理供给城市建设用地,严格控制人口规模,提高城市土地利用率。研究结论:在城市化进程中,应根据人口密度的变化,推动大中小城市协调发展,促进城镇化和新农村建设协调发展。     

中部六省城镇化质量比较分析与提升对策

城镇化是经济发展方式、居民生活状况、社会事业同步推进的过程。在快速推进城镇化的"十二五"时期,研究城镇化不仅要关注城镇人口的数量增加,更要测度城镇化进程带来的经济、社会、生态等方面的复合效应。文章从经济绩效、社会发展、生态环境、居民生活、空间集约、城乡统筹指标七个方面构建区域城镇化质量评价体系,综合评价中部六省城镇化质量差异及各自的短板,并将各省城镇化速度与质量做对比分析,以期针对各自差距与不同类型采取对策推进各省城镇化速度与质量的协调发展。     

Real estate supports rapid development of China's urbanization

Urbanization is an important engine of modernization and economic growth, and appears to be an inevitable trend in human socioeconomic development around the world. However, China’s unusually rapid urbanization rate has attracted increasing attention. Our research suggests that understanding the country’s real estate market is the key to understanding the country’s rapid urbanization. The booming real estate market represents a major source of funding for urban infrastructure construction, and has accelerated the migration of rural residents to cities. We describe how four typical Chinese cities supported urbanization by promoting the development of different aspects of a real estate market to illustrate real estate’s role in Chinese urbanization, thereby providing examples and cautions for urbanization both in China and in other parts of the developing world.     

National urban land-use/cover change since the beginning of the 21st century and its policy implications in China

China has experienced rapid urban expansion since the beginning of the 21^st century. Although many previous studies have explored the forces driving urbanization, how policies drive these changes at the national scale has not been fully examined. This research aims to delineate the regional differentiations of urban expansion and related impervious surface area (ISA) density and reveal the socioeconomic and macropolicy factors causing these changes. The result shows that national urban land expanded from 4.26 × 10⁴ km² in 2000 to 6.90 × 10⁴ km² in 2015 at an unprecedented rate, with an average increasing rate of 1760 km²/yr since 2000. The spatial metrics of ISA density diverted from a low-density sprawl mode during 2000–2010 to a dense expansion mode during 2010–2015, with the highest ISA density of 70.70% in 2015. Regionally, the rate of urban expansion and ISA growth reduced in the coastal zone in 2010–2015. In contrast, urban expansion accelerated in the western and central zones, due to the China Western Development Plan and the Rise of Central China Plan initiated in 1999 and 2006, respectively. Although the concept of “Sponge city” (an urban water management system) was proposed in 2013, the national ISA density still increased due to urban infilling. The overarching issue that must be seriously considered is the tradeoff between the magnitude of urban expansion and ISA density and building sustainable and livable cities in an era of urban transformation.     

基于耕地保护的中国城镇化发展战略研究

研究目的：研究中国城市位序 — 规模规律的演化和城市建成区人口密度同城市规模关系的变化,预测未来城镇化发展占用耕地情况,提出基于耕地保护的中国城镇化发展对策建议。研究方法：文献资料法、回归分析法和函数模型预测法。研究结果：中国城市建成区人口密度随城市人口规模的增加而增加,但正在快速下降,中国城镇化同耕地保护之间的矛盾日益突出。研究结论：为更加有效地保护耕地,中国应加快制定以发展大城市为主导,各级城市城镇全面发展的城镇化战略,推行高人口密度的城镇化发展政策措施,走紧凑型城镇化道路。     

湖北省农村新型城镇化发展路径浅探

该文按照十八大报告确定的:"坚持走中国特色新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化道路,推动信息化和工业化深度融合、工业化和城镇化良性互动、城镇化和农业现代化相互协调,促进工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化同步发展"的思路,采用到湖北省有关市(县)采取实地查勘、问卷调查和走访农户等方法,就湖北农村新型城镇化建设的现状、问题、成因、思路和对策进行实地调研。同时,有针对性分析近20年来,湖北省城镇化发展的状况,剖析湖北省农村城镇化进程中在自然资源和环境、城镇规划建设和城镇发展质量等方面存在的问题及其成因,在此基础上依据科学发展观和可持续发展要求,顺应城镇发展规律,通过科学规划、因地制宜、确定湖北省农村新型城镇化的经济布局和市场定位,提出以加强生态文明建设为主线的农村新型城镇化发展战略模式和实施对策,探索一条结构合理、功能完善的集约式发展道路。     

Urban development versus wetland loss in a coastal Latin American city: Lessons for sustainable land use planning

Urbanization is a primary cause of wetland loss in coastal metropolitan regions. Therefore, it challenges the preservation of biodiversity and the provision of key ecosystem services for urban settlements. These services include leisure and recreation, climate and water regulation, water purification, and especially alleviation of natural hazards. Tsunami flood mitigation is a particularly valuable regulating service provided by these wetlands, as recently evidenced during the 2010 tsunami that hit the central coast of Chile.The Concepción Metropolitan Area (CMA), located on the central coast of Chile, has experienced noticeable wetland loss in recent decades. Our study focused on the Rocuant-Andalién wetland, which has been particularly affected by urbanization. This wetland strongly contributes to flood control, and has provided effective protection against the CMA’s latest tsunamis (1835 and 2010). Based on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), we have quantified urban growth over the wetland, both executed and projected under the Metropolitan Urban Plan of Concepción (MUPC). Recent loss in wetland area by urban growth has been quantified using land use and cover change (LUCC) maps from 2004 to 2014, obtained from the classification of Landsat images. Prospective changes (considering the complete MUPC deployment) have been inferred by combining the MUPC with the 2014 land cover map. In addition, we quantified the observed effect and planned urban growth on the wetland protected area, geoforms and potential flooding based on the area affected by the last Tsunami. Results show that urban areas have increased by 28% between 2004 and 2014, while future increase is expected to reach 238%. In contrast, wetland area has decreased by 10% from 2004 to 2014 and is expected to decrease by up to 32 %. Thus, the MUPC is not contributing to the mitigation of wetland loss nor the preservation of its biodiversity and ecosystem services. Implications for coastal planning are discussed.     

Land use regulation and urban land value: Evidence from China

Land use regulation has always been regarded as one of the most crucial means of macro-control of urban growth, which can affect a city’s land values directly and further determine related urban economic well-being. Since the New Type Urbanization Strategy proposed by the government in 2014, China’s mode of urban growth has been transformed from addressing “quantity” to “quality" in the urbanization process. In this case, the regulation of land use by the Chinese government plays a more important role in urban growth. With their planned land regulatory scheme, the various instruments employed by Chinese governments have quite different mechanisms influencing land prices. However, there are no rigorous studies focusing on the land use regulation system and its impact on land values to date, particular in China. This study seeks to explore how land use regulation affects urban land values through the systematic lens. We summarize the main land use regulatory instruments based on the analysis of China’s planned land use system and urban land banking system, including the construction land quota, constraints on the allowed floor area ratio (FAR) of each land transaction parcel, and land supply restrictions. A new dataset based on land transaction data from 2007 to 2016 that covers 286 prefectural cities from the country’s coastal, central, and western regions is used in the empirical analysis. The results show that the effects of the floor area ratio (FAR) on land values are significant and positive, with the residential and commercial land supply ratio being a key factor. Moreover, the results imply that the effects of constraints on FAR and commercial land supply vary between regions. These findings indicate that the Chinese land market is considerably distorted by excessive administrative interventions by local governments, in the stage of urban transition guided, the capable regulatory instruments could play an important role in adjusting urban land prices and hence impact on urban growth.     

Comparing the spatial and temporal dynamics of urban expansion in Guangzhou and Shenzhen from 1975 to 2015: A case study of pioneer cities in China’s rapid urbanization

The distinct urbanization process of China has attracted worldwide attention because of its impressive speed, massive scale, and policy intervention. However, the interrelationship between urban expansion and government policies is still not well understood. The Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration of China is the first national pioneering urbanization area since the implementation of the policy “Reform and Opening-up” in the late 1970s. Here we compared the spatial and temporal patterns of urbanization in two leading cities of the Pearl River Delta (i.e., Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the provincial capital and the first Special Economic Zone of China, respectively) from 1975 to 2015, using Landsat data integrated with urban growth and landscape metrics analysis, and examined possible footprints of major economic and urbanization policies. Our results illustrated that urban land areas in both Guangzhou and Shenzhen have experienced magnificent annual growth rates at 8.1% and 11%, respectively between 1975 and 2015. On average, Shenzhen witnessed substantially higher urban growth rate than Guangzhou during the past four decades, particularly in the initial period (1978–1990) when the Reform and Opening-up policy was launched and Shenzhen was designated as the first Special Economic Zone in China in the late 1970s. However, the speed of urban expansion in Shenzhen became considerably lower than Guangzhou from 2005 to 2015, subject to physical conditions and a series of urban land use policies. Both cities showed a generally similar dynamics of urban growth forms with leapfrogging as the predominant type of urban growth at first and then edge-expansion while the contribution of infilling in Shenzhen was higher than that in Guangzhou, especially since 2005. The urbanization processes characterized by landscape and urban growth metrics revealed that a diffusion-coalescence-diffusion-coalescence process was identified for Guangzhou, while Shenzhen was generally consistent with the diffusion-coalescence urban growth hypothesis.     

Changing imbalance: Spatial production of national high-tech industrial development zones in China (1988-2018)

Science parks are popular in most countries of the world. In China they have taken the form of National High-Tech Industrial Development Zones (NHTIDZs), which have demonstrated special spatiotemporal characteristics over the past thirty years. NHTIDZs, as exclusive spaces, epitomize the close relationship between governmental power and urbanization, and have become an organizational form of the production of space. However, little research has been carried out into the spatial production of China’s NHTIDZs. Based on the theory of the production of space, this article designs a framework for identifying the interactions between governmental power, NHTIDZs, and urbanization. We find there are two main characteristics of the changing imbalance between time and space: a rapid and unstable centralizing trend and an extremely uneven spatial distribution. The NHTIDZ, as a spatial organization pattern of urbanization, is dominated by governmental power. Because of rapid spatial expansion and great policy privileges, national-level NHTIDZs have become targets for governments at all levels. The purpose of the central government is to promote urbanization by expanding high-technology zones nationwide; therefore, urbanization in China is becoming a process of spatial production. To help China achieve a better urban-rural integration and sustainable development, policy suggestions for NHTIDZs are recommended.     

Characteristics of state-owned construction land supply in Chinese cities by development stage and industry

Land supply and regional economic development are closely related. Differences in regional industrial structure and degree of urbanization result in differences in the characteristics of land supply. In this study, a Python program was used to obtain 2010–2017 land transaction data of 327 cities in China’s Land Market Network. The development stage of each city was identified according to its per capita gross domestic product and industrial structure in 2017. Land supply, at various stages of development, for state-driven construction in cities was characterized with respect to various industries. We found that with the evolution of development stage, the annual average land supply scale of the city increased from 9491.77 hectares in primary industrialization stage (PIS) to 24614.84 hectares in developed stage (DS), and the proportion of newly increased construction land decreased from 87% PIS to 24614.84 hectares in DS. Furthermore, the supply structures of state-owned construction land significantly differed across development stages. With respect to the evolution of development stages, the change of land supply proportion in various industries presents the types of gradual decline, gradual increase, initial increase and subsequent decline, initial decline and subsequent increase, and volatility. The frequency distribution of the proportion of land supply in cities allocated for various industries and across the developmental stages was different. The administrative hierarchy of cities in China has a large influence on land supply. The effects of National New-Type Urbanization Plan (NUP) and marketization on land supply were contrary to expectations. NUP has significantly promoted land supply. The higher the development stage of the city, the positive effect of marketization on land supply has not increased. The findings enrich the theory of regional land use and can guide the formulation of land supply policies in different stages of development.     

China’s megaregion policy: Performance evaluation framework,empirical findings and implications for spatial polycentric governance

Megaregion has emerged as a new dimension of global urbanization. A megaregion approach based on polycentric strategy is deemed to enhance regional economic competitiveness. Numerous studies have highlighted the economic benefits, celebrated the spill-over effects, and outlined the creative potentials of contemporary megaregion policies in different nations worldwide. However, further policy instruments require the knowledge about the achievement and failure of megaregion policies that seek for spatial, economic, social, and environmental efficiency and sustainability. This paper introduces China’s megaregion policy and proposes an analytical framework for performance evaluation from four principle domains (rational urban growth, economic development, social equity, environmental protection) at three levels (internal collaboration, integral development, and overall development). Using a case of the Megaregion around Hangzhou Bay (MAHB), we find very limited success of China’s megaregion policy. In particular, the megaregion policy only accomplishes the economic goal, and fails to achieve the goals of rational urban growth, environmental protection, and social equity. A series of mechanism based regressions are established and show that the implementation duration of megaregion policy: (1) associates positively with the economic growth; (2) relates negatively to social equity and urban rational growth; and (3) has no significant relationship with improved environmental quality. Institutional fragmentation, no unified spatial planning, and inadequate legislation at megaregional level are the underlying causes of the expected performances within the policy context of governance itself. We finally propose some possible solutions and discuss the implications for spatial polycentric governance. The demonstrated methodological framework can be applicable to other megaregions around the world. This paper is thus believed to provide some new insights for land use policy.     

江苏省区域城市化水平评价

城市化水平是经济与社会发展规划的重要指标之一;从城市化的内涵出发,构建了融经济、社会发展和人口、城镇居民收入于一体的区域城市化水平评价指标体系;通过灰色聚类方法和层次分析法,综合评价了2003年江苏省区域城市化水平;从评价结果可以看出,13个城市发展的区位特点显著,南北区位的城市化发展水平差异较大,苏中、苏北与苏南地区相比,在城市发展的诸多方面存在差距,例如经济发展水平、居民收入差距等;围绕如何进一步提高江苏区域城市化水平提出了对策和建议。     

太原城市边缘区建设用地扩展研究

城市边缘区,是城市地域结构的一个重要组成部分,在城市郊区化和乡村城镇化的双重催化下,经济发展迅速,土地利用不断变化,成为土地利用/土地覆被变化最为激烈的地区之一。本文以1990年、2000年、2006年和2010年的TM遥感影像为基础信息源,提取四个时相的建成区范围,并对近20年来的太原市城市扩展过程进行动态监测研究,结果表明:1)1990~2010年,20年间太原市边缘区建设用地共扩展了191.81 km2;2)从时间上看,2006~2010年的扩展速度最快,强度最大;3)从景观格局上看,1990~2006年以斑块数增加,紧凑度减小的分散扩展模式为主,2006年后以斑块数减少,紧凑度增大的规模扩展模式为主;4)从空间发展上看,具有明显的空间分异特征,且在不同的时间段,这种特征表现不同。     

Urbanization and food imports in sub-Saharan Africa

The Granger statistical test of causality was used to examine the relationship between total food imports and urbanization and between food aid and urbanization. Urbanization appears to have caused total food imports to increase in 13 of the 24 countries. Food imports appear to be a cause of urbanization in three countries. Food aid, however, apparently was a cause of urbanization in 16 of the 24 countries used in the analysis.     

城镇化对居民收入影响作用机制分析

城镇化是经济高质量增长的关键引擎。在全民奔小康的背景下,农村与城镇居民收入之间存在差距、农民收入较低等问题依然值得关注。研究城镇化对农村和城镇居民收入影响机制,结合实际情况制定可行性较高的措施,才能从根本上解决城乡居民收入存在的问题。提出了统筹推进城镇化,协调城乡发展,继续带动就业,促进新兴产业深度集聚等对策建议。     

四川省城市化特征与机制分析

受历史、地理、政策和区域经济发展不平衡等方面的影响。四川省城市化的特征主要表现在城市化水平、城镇地域空间分布和城市等级规模等诸方面。具体为城市化质量水平偏低、建制镇地域分布密度高、城镇等级规模分异大和极核型首位分布。四川省的地形地貌、环状与线状的交通布局、经济结构的变化和强烈的政府行为共同构成了四川城市化发展的机制。     

我国特大城市用地扩张的驱动力分析

总结出1990年代以来我国特大城市用地扩张的3个特点：一为特大城市数量和用地总量持续增加，用地增速与城市化发展速度不协调；二为特大城市人均用地呈波动变化，市均用地则持续增加；三为特大城市用地结构中国林绿地和铺装道路面积明显增长；分析了影响我国特大城市用地扩张的驱动力因素有人口增长、经济发展、城市环境改善和社会因素等，通过逐步回归分析方法得出影响我国特大城市用地扩张的主要驱动力是人口增长和年末实有铕装道路面积的增长；为了今后能够合理有效地利用城市土地，有关部门应该积极采取相关政策来合理控制城市用地扩张的速度。     

黑龙江省农村城镇化发展潜力聚类分析

通过运用2005年黑龙江省统计资料,采用聚类分析的方法,对黑龙江省64个县市的城镇化发展潜力进行聚类实证分析,选取非农业人口占地区总人口比重、普通中学和小学在校生占地区总人口比重、城镇二三产业产值占总产值比率、实际利用域外资金、人均城乡居民储蓄存款等指标,根据聚类分析结果将这些县市分成了七大阵营,同时总结出相应的基本特点。