Abstract
High urbanization quality, predominantly determined by the degree of internal coordinated development, is the most important factor in promoting urbanization development. Based on the panel data of 283 Chinese cities from 2007 to 2016, this paper analysed the internal coordination degree, spatial distribution and spatiotemporal evolution of urbanization using the methods of range standardization, entropy, and coupling and coordination models, as well as exploratory spatial data analysis. We found the following results: (1) The internal coordination degree of China’s urbanization was at a low level for a long time, but it presented a gradually increasing trend; (2) The internal coordinated development of urbanization exhibited an obvious spatial agglomeration. Specifically, it displayed a stepped pattern with a higher internal coordination degree in eastern China, a lower degree in western China, and a spatial distribution with multi-centre agglomeration and diffusion. (3) The spatial distribution of the internal coordinated development of urbanization was stable in most regions of China, only changing in a few. (4) The growth rate of the internal coordination degree of China’s urbanization presented the pattern of a dotted distribution, while the growth rate in western China was higher than in central and eastern China. The spatiotemporal evolution relates to the policies changes of China’s urbanization. In particular, the urbanization in China transfers its focus from population transfer to the development of quality from 2007 to 2016. To promote the sustainable and healthy development of China's new urbanization, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta shall focus on accelerating the transformation of economic development mode; The provinces located around the above three regions shall strengthen the upgrading and promotion of basic public services. The northeast and central provinces shall speed up the innovation of systems and mechanisms and gradually release the potential of urbanization development by promoting the mobility of urban population, and the vast majority of provinces in Western China shall further improve the spatial development potential for urbanization.
Highlights
Since the implementation of the Reform and Opening Up in 1978, China’s urbanization has made tremendous achievements, such that the urbanization rate has increased from 17.92% in 1978 to 58.52% in 2017, with an average annual growth of 1.04%
(3) The spatial distribution of the internal coordinated development of urbanization was stable in most regions of China, only changing in a few
Formerly government-led urbanization development has gradually come to be dominated by the market, and the market has played a decisive role throughout the process of urban development in China
Summary
Since the implementation of the Reform and Opening Up in 1978, China’s urbanization has made tremendous achievements, such that the urbanization rate has increased from 17.92% in 1978 to 58.52% in 2017, with an average annual growth of 1.04%. The second stage was from 1992 to 2001, which coincides with the initial stage of China’s market economy. This stage witnessed soared economic development of the eastern coastal areas of China. China’s urbanization scale further expanded, but at the same time, the disparity of urbanization between eastern and western regions has begun to widen. The third stage was from 2002 to 2011, which coincides with a period of rapid development of China’s market economy. China’s urbanization at this stage was guided under a direction of coordinated development among large, medium and small cities, in practice, the disparity of urbanization among different regions has gradually widened due to the pursuit of the expansion of large cities. Formerly government-led urbanization development has gradually come to be dominated by the market, and the market has played a decisive role throughout the process of urban development in China
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