Methodological Basis for Making Regional Spatial Planning in China in the New Era:A Preliminary Study Based on Planning of Key Economic Regions in Developing Western China

Abstract

Regional planning is an essential part of spatial governance for a vast country like China. Since inter-regional development problems are getting protruding and the measures of state control at the macro level have changed from rigid central planning to more flexible ones in China, it has become quite urgent to make new regional planning with new perspectives and new methods. This paper firstly analyzes the factors affecting regional spatial planning in China in a new era characterized by economic globalization, further institutional reform (i.e., marketization) and application of scientific approach to development; then analyzes the methodological basis for making regional spatial planning through examining the pole-axis theory, global city-region and theory of territorial system of human-land relationship; and lastly introduces some technical methods in making regional spatial planning based on the preliminary planning of key economic regions in developing western China, which was done in 2003. The paper argues that regional spatial planning in China in the new era must take into consideration the key features of the present socio-economic development and effective governance measures. Besides, it is also suggested that regional spatial planning should adopt global perspective and thinking on marketization.