Urban Development In China Research Articles

Sustainable Urbanization: Unpacking the Link Between Urban Clusters and Environmental Protection

Urban clusters are the main trend of current and future urbanization worldwide, but their impact on environmental pollution has been controversial. This paper explores this issue in the context of urban development in China, and analyzes the underlying mechanisms, using panel data from 285 Chinese cities spanning 2006 to 2021. The findings show that a one unit increase in the degree of urban cluster is associated with a reduction in the comprehensive pollution index by approximately 7.5%, and the main mechanisms by which urban clusters facilitate environmental protection are congestion alleviation, industry structural optimization, and technological innovation. Firstly, urban clusters reduce environmental pollution by mitigating the crowding effects associated with urban expansion, although this alleviation is predominantly observed in larger cities. Secondly, urban clusters foster the upgrading of urban industrial structures, thereby decreasing environmental pollution. However, in less developed cities where industrialization is a major development goal, the impact of structural optimization is less pronounced. Finally, technological innovations, including advances in technologies of energy conservation and emission reduction, have assisted in the transformation of the economic growth model, which has reduced environmental pollution. Looking ahead, the urban cluster remains a pivotal strategic direction for social development, and planning and construction of urban clusters should actively incorporate environmental benefit considerations.

The Impact of Innovative City Pilot Policy on Urban Land Green Use Efficiency: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China

China’s rapid urbanization has spurred significant economic growth, but it has also given rise to challenges such as urban sprawl, ecological degradation, and inefficient land use—issues that impede progress toward green and sustainable development. Land is the spatial foundation for green development, and promoting its green utilization is essential for advancing the high-quality development of urban spaces. As a concrete implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy, the National Innovative City Pilot Policy (NICPP) serves as a crucial driver in fostering high-quality development. In this context, the NICPP and green land use can be seen as two complementary components of achieving high-quality development. This study uses panel data from 266 cities across China and applies a difference-in-differences (DID) model to evaluate the effect of the NICPP on urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE), exploring the underlying mechanisms through the lenses of industrial structure and technological innovation. The results indicate that the NICPP significantly and robustly enhances ULGUE. The effect varies geographically and by city type, with the most pronounced benefits observed in eastern cities, non-resource-based cities, and non-old industrial base cities. Additionally, the NICPP contributes to improved comprehensive output benefits during land use activities and reduced pollutant emissions by optimizing industrial structures and enhancing technological innovation capacity, thereby promoting ULGUE. Therefore, in the future, the focus should be on integrating innovation with strategic policies. These findings carry profound implications for urban development in China and provide important lessons for promoting sustainable urban growth on a global scale.

Facilitating or Hindering? The Impact of Low-Carbon Pilot Policies on Socio-Ecological Resilience in Resource-Based Cities

Low-carbon pilot policies are essential for the green transformation of resource-based cities, helping them mitigate the “carbon curse” and the “resource curse” while promoting sustainable socio-ecological development. Focusing on a panel of 114 resource-based cities in China, spanning from 2003 to 2022, this study employs a range of methodologies, including kernel density estimation, the Difference-in-Differences Model, Spatial Difference-in-Differences, Mediation Analysis, K-means Clustering, and Dual Machine Learning to assess the consequences of low-carbon pilot policies on socio-ecological resilience. The findings indicate that the socio-ecological resilience of the study area has generally improved, though there is noticeable polarization. Low-carbon pilot policies significantly enhance the resilience of resource-based cities by 0.4%, and they exhibit a positive spatial spillover effect of 1.1%. However, the long-term effects of the policies on economic resilience were not significant, and the policies did not have a direct impact on the social resilience of the pilot cities; however, they did promote social resilience in neighboring regions. Finally, the effectiveness of low-carbon pilots varies, with more pronounced benefits in declining and mature resource cities, particularly in those with medium ecological and economic resilience, and low social resilience. Green finance, industrial transformation, and carbon emission efficiency are identified as key strategies for improving socio-ecological resilience. The above findings provide insights for policymakers seeking to foster inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development in China.

Turning land into assets: local government borrowing through land assetization in China

ABSTRACT Local governments use state-owned land to raise massive funds to finance urban development in China. However, how is land formed and calculated as a financial asset? We aim to unpack the political-economic dynamics underpinning the phenomenon of turning land into a financial asset. Based on practices in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Jiaxing, this study provides a concrete account of how state-owned land is mobilized to secure funds by urban development corporations (chengtous) and the state itself through land reserve bonds. In either approach, the state manipulates asset formation and calculative techniques to achieve a favorable quantification of asset value. Therefore, the land is not a standard type of collateral but an extension of state credit. We contribute to the geography of assetization by arguing that land is turned into assets through state actions beyond being colonized by financialized techniques.

How Land Resource Misallocation Affects Green and Low-Carbon Sustainable Urban Development in China: A Discussion of Mechanisms and Empirical Evidence

How Land Resource Misallocation Affects Green and Low-Carbon Sustainable Urban Development in China: A Discussion of Mechanisms and Empirical Evidence

Dynamic Scenario Simulation of Building Carbon Peak from the Perspective of Urbanization

With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the energy consumption and carbon emissions in the building sector will continue to grow. Therefore, the future dynamic evolution of building carbon emissions must be crucially investigated to achieve the "dual carbon" target in China. A system dynamics model of "urbanization-building carbon emissions" was constructed from the perspective of urbanization for revealing the mechanism of urbanization-related factors on building carbon emissions. On this basis, a dynamic simulation of the evolution trend and peak situation of building carbon emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei （BTH） Region from 2000 to 2050 was carried out using multi-scenario analysis. The results showed that： ① Under the baseline scenario, the carbon emissions of rural residential buildings, urban residential buildings, and commercial buildings peak in 2027, 2028, and 2037, respectively, with peaks （in CO2） of 0.60×108, 0.99×108, and 1.95×108 tons. ② Under the low-carbon scenario, the peak （in CO2, the same below） time of carbon emissions of urban residential buildings was the most advanced, reaching the peak of 0.88×108 tons in 2024. ③ In the deep low-carbon scenario, the peak time of carbon emissions of the overall buildings occurred five years earlier than that in the low-carbon scenario. It was predicted to peak at 2.61×108 tons in 2028, reaching the 2030 carbon peak target. ④ The sensitivity analysis showed that the carbon emission factor of commercial buildings and the per capita commercial building space floor in the spatial dimension were the major factors influencing the building carbon emissions, followed by the percentage of the urban population in the population dimension. Finally, suggestions are made for the government of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region to carry out energy conservation and emission reduction planning.

Towards secure energy systems: Examining asymmetric impact of energy transition, environmental technology and digitalization on Chinese city-level energy security

This study aims to investigate the asymmetric impacts of energy transition (ETI), environmental technology (ENT), and digitalization (DEI) on energy security (ESI) across Chinese cities, addressing a significant gap in empirical research at the city level. We employ the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) to analyze data from 275 Chinese cities over the period 2007–2020, examining the differential effects of positive and negative shocks in ETI, ENT, and DEI on ESI across various quantiles. Utilizing MMQR, the analysis yields several key findings: (i) Positive shocks in ETI benefit cities with high pre-existing ESI, while negative shocks surprisingly provide a temporary boost to low-security cities but ultimately hinder progress at higher levels. (ii) Positive shocks in DEI correlate with higher ESI, especially in cities with moderate to high baseline security, whereas negative shocks in DEI exhibit minimal influence on ESI. (iii) Positive shocks in ENT generally enhance energy security across all quantiles except the lowest, indicating that advancements benefit cities at various security levels. Notably, negative shocks initially decrease ESI at the lowest quantile but subsequently increase it at moderate to high levels. These findings highlight the complex, non-linear relationships between ETI, ENT, DEI, and ESI in Chinese cities. The study provides quantitative evidence for policymakers to develop nuanced strategies that balance energy transition, digitalization, and environmental technology advancements with energy security goals. Future research should explore the mechanisms underlying these asymmetric effects and their implications for sustainable urban development in China.

Digital trade, trade openness, FDI, and green total factor productivity

The rapid digitalization of global trade has introduced a transformative element to urban sustainability, but its specific impact on green total factor productivity (GTFP) remains understudied, particularly in the context of China's urban development. Although studies have explored digital trade's economic benefits, the interplay between digital trade, trade openness, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in shaping urban GTFP has not been thoroughly investigated. This study fills that gap by investigating the relation between digital trade and GTFP in China, utilizing a comprehensive provincial panel dataset from 2005 to 2021. Employing a fixed-effects model with various control variables, we find that digital trade significantly increases GTFP. The findings also reveal that both trade openness and FDI positively moderate this relation, amplifying digital trade's impact on urban green transformation. The heterogeneity analysis across Chinese regions provides nuanced insights, demonstrating that the effect is most pronounced in the developed eastern region, followed by the middle region, and has a less significant impact in the western region. These findings contribute to the growing discourse on digital trade and sustainable urban development, with important implications for policymakers seeking to use digital technologies to promote environmental sustainability and economic growth. Our findings highlight the importance of fostering digital trade, increasing trade openness, and attracting green FDI as effective strategies to drive urban green transformation and improve GTFP, while emphasizing the need to address regional disparities and potential challenges associated with digital trade implementation.

Socialist urbanism and cultural infrastructure facilities in China: Cities of the Pearl River Delta and the Guangzhou cultural infrastructure facilities plan, 2003–07

The construction of “cultural infrastructure facilities” (wenhua jichu sheshi) in China – auditoria, exhibition halls, libraries, museums, performance centers – for state administration of culture and information originated in the 1950s with Sino-Soviet exchange and has continued throughout the reform era. However, scholarship on urban development in China, embedded in discourses of capitalism and modern planning, generally does not recognize this category of infrastructure construction by contemporary city governments. To address the lacunae, this article analyzes the history of cultural infrastructure facilities in socialist urbanism, their transfer to the People’s Republic of China from the Soviet Union, the conditions of socialist realism, and the continuity of cultural infrastructure construction since the 1980s. Evidence from the Guangzhou Cultural Infrastructure Facilities Projects Plan (2003 – 07) and cultural facilities sites in the new city center projects of Shenzhen, Shunde, and Dongguan demonstrate how the party-state prioritizes the planning and construction of cultural infrastructure facilities. Contemporary architectural designs for new cultural buildings represent the international aesthetic of reform while cultural facilities continue to house and display party-sanctioned culture and information for the people.

Perceptions of improvements and mental health outcomes of micro-renewal in old Danwei community: a survey of residents in Hengyang, China.

Danwei communities are a testament to China's socialist urban development, characterized by the self-sufficiency, strong social networks, and institutional management. In the historical context of urban development in China, many old communities have evolved from former housing areas of Danwei. After more than 40 years of use, the buildings, and environments in the old Danwei communities remain in disrepair, dirty, disorderly and poor condition. Many functions have failed that negatively affect the quality of life and health of residents. After Covid-19, improving the mental health of residents has become a major goal of public policies in various countries. To explore the residents' mental health in the micro-renewal, this study carried out a survey regarding residents' evaluation on the micro-renewal and their mental health in two renewed Danwei communities in Hengyang, China. More than 800 respondents joined the interview, among them, 634 samples are effective for analysis. Entropy-TOPSIS is applied to analyze the weights of various indicators of micro-renewal. And multinominal logit model is used to examine the relationship between the personal factors, satisfaction on various items of micro-renewal and mental health. The findings indicates that the mental health level of residents living in Danwei community is affected by micro-renewal. The socio-demographic characteristics and behavior factors can influence on the possibility of being in different levels of mental health. The satisfaction on the components of micro-renewal and improvements after micro-renewal is also determiner of residents' mental health level. In addition, the heterogeneity is address in mental health.

China’s Urban Regeneration Evolution from 1949 to 2022: From the Perspective of Governance Mode

Urban regeneration has played an important role in Chinese successful urban economic development and is constantly evolving along with the changes in the demands of urban development. However, there have been relatively few studies on urban regeneration evolution. In order to explore the relationship between the evolution of urban regeneration and urban development in China, this paper divides China’s urban regeneration into four stages from the perspective of governance mode, namely, unitary governance, binary governance, tripartite governance, and pluralistic co-governance. It is found that the evolution of urban regeneration is closely related to the core contradictions in the process of urban development, and the development challenges at each period are often caused by the urban regeneration governance mode in the pervious phase. The evolution of urban development and urban regeneration governance mode presents the phenomenon of interaction. Based on the understanding of urban regeneration evolution, this study points out the problems that need to be solved in China’s urban regeneration in the future with suggestions, and the hope is that this study can provide experiences for the urban regeneration development of other developing countries.

Challenges and Future of Sustainable Development in Chinese Cities from the Perspective of Urban Poverty Alleviation

In today's world, facing various global challenges such as climate change, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation, the United Nations proposed a global action plan in 2015 - the Sustainable Development Goals, with SDG1 aiming to eradicate all forms of poverty. The rapid pace of global urbanization in the 21st century is bringing new challenges. Among them, poverty is a major issue with serious implications for sustainable urban development. In China, poverty has always been a focal point of government and societal attention. By the end of 2020, absolute poverty in rural areas of China had been effectively eliminated, but urban poverty has increasingly become prominent, affecting the sustainable development of Chinese cities. The purpose of this research is to collect information from literature, identify research hotspots and trends in urban poverty alleviation in China, and analyze the challenges faced by sustainable development in Chinese cities and how to address these issues. This study analyzes the research hotspots and trends in urban poverty alleviation in China through the use of CiteSpace software and bibliometrics in order to promote sustainable urban development in China.

Urban design and pollution using AI: Implications for urban development in China

The primary aim of this study is to explore the role of AI in urban design and its potential to reduce pollution in Chinese cities. The study investigates how AI-driven urban planning tools can be applied to create more sustainable, efficient, and functional urban environments. PM2.5 and PM10 show high concentrations with peaks between 2014 and 2017, indicating simple pollution actions. Post-2017, there is a noticeable decline in pollution levels, possibly due to improved regulations or the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific years, like 2016, show extreme spikes, possibly due to industrial activities or natural events. The overall trend suggests improved air quality and moderate to strong positive correlations exist between PM2.5 and PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO, indicating shared bases or co-occurrence. However, there is no significant correlation between PM2.5 and O3, suggesting different bases and behaviors. Bi-directional causality is observed between PM2.5 and PM10, PM2.5 and O3, PM2.5 and NO2, PM2.5 and SO2, and PM2.5 and CO. This mutual cause suggests interrelated impressive processes and shared bases. The results of the causality analysis suggest the existence of complex interactions, where high levels of pollution can predict changes in others. AI in urban design play vital role for identifying the most effective strategies for reducing pollution and helping to build more sustainable and functional urban environments in China.

Spatial and temporal changes of ecosystem service value and its influencing mechanism in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration

As the mainstream and trend of urban development in China, deeply exploring the spatiotemporal patterns and influencing mechanisms of ecosystem service value in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is of great significance for achieving sustainable development goals in urban agglomerations. This paper uses the normalized difference vegetation index and net primary productivity as dynamic adjustment factors to measure the ecosystem service value of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and analyze its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. Furthermore, a panel quantile regression model is constructed to explore the response differences of ecosystem service value at different levels to various influencing factors. The results show that: (1) From 2006 to 2020, the ecosystem service value of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration decreased by 37.086 billion yuan, with high-value areas mainly concentrated in the southern part of the urban agglomeration. (2) The value structure of various land type ecosystems and primary ecosystem sub-services in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is stable. (3) The number of grid units with reduced ecosystem service value is continuously increasing, mainly distributed in the eastern coastal areas. (4) The degree of interference of various types of land on ecosystem service value varies, and the response of ecosystem service value at different levels to the same influencing factor also shows heterogeneity. In summary, exploring the spatiotemporal patterns of ecosystem service value in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and analyzing its influencing mechanisms is conducive to adjusting the intensity of human utilization and protection methods of ecosystems, which is of great significance for enhancing the value of ecosystem products in urban agglomerations.

Analysis of the Impact of Urban Infrastructure on Urbanization Processes at Different Levels from a Spatiotemporal Perspective

A comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of urbanization development at different levels and its influencing factors is crucial for promoting global urbanization and advancing China’s new urbanization. Using indicators related to urbanization development, a multidimensional index system was constructed based on five dimensions: population, economy, space, society, and ecology. Employing methods such as the Mann–Kendall test, Sen’s trend analysis, multiple linear regression, and spatial autocorrelation analysis, the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of urbanization from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed comprehensively at national, economic zone, provincial, and prefectural city scales. The results indicate the following. (1) From 2000 to 2019, urbanization levels at all levels showed an overall upward trend, with the national urbanization rate increasing most rapidly at 5.39%. (2) Trend analysis reveals rapid and significant growth trends in urbanization at the national and economic zone scales, while urban-level changes exhibit greater diversity and spatiotemporal heterogeneity. (3) Spatial distribution patterns show that urbanization levels in the eastern coastal economic zones are significantly higher than those in the northeastern economic zones, highlighting pronounced regional disparities in development and agglomeration effects in economically advanced regions and provinces. (4) Regression analysis demonstrates that spatial urbanization significantly influences urbanization development in China, with urban infrastructure playing a crucial role across different levels.

Multifactor evaluation of architectural value in historical and cultural heritage area——the case of Dingzi Street, Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China

Historical and cultural heritage areas gradually disappear due to rapid urbanization, urban renewal, and transformation. With China's urban development shifting from incremental planning to stock optimization, protecting historical and cultural landscape areas has gained considerable attention. The development and preservation of these areas have become pivotal research issues. A multi-value-oriented evaluation index system has been established to recognize the haphazard and scientifically unfounded updating and reforming of buildings within historical and cultural landscape areas. This system draws upon and organizes evaluation indices for historical buildings from domestic and international contexts. An empirical test assessed the protection efforts in the Dingzi Street Historical and Cultural Landscape Area in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province. The results emphasize that the protection of buildings in historical landscape areas should consider the potential for development and construction, the enhancement of residents' living environments, and the economic impact on neighboring areas. In the renewal construction of historical landscape areas, the evaluation of most buildings focuses on economic value, utility, and the feasibility of renovation implementation. The study's conclusions are essential for enhancing the scientific and practical aspects of renewal and renovation methods for buildings in historical and cultural landscape areas. This research provides valuable insights into balancing development and preservation in the evolving urban landscape of China

A Comprehensive Review of the Development Characteristics and Future Trends of TOD in Chinese Urban Rail Transit

The transit-oriented development (TOD) concept has become a significant catalyst for urban development in China, which has undergone rapid urbanization and has actively participated in the development of public transportation networks over the past 20 years. TOD not only guides the transformation of transportation modes but also leads the development of urban spaces. The extensive construction of urban rail transit in China highlights the universal patterns of TOD and reflects the uniqueness of Chinese practices. This paper analyzes the characteristics of urban development and TOD in developed countries, summarizing the common laws driving TOD in theoretical research. It then compares China, which is in a period of rapid rail transit construction, to identify the unique developmental laws of transit-oriented development of rail transit in China (TOD-RTC). The paper further examines the developmental characteristics of TOD-RTC in practice, considering both temporal and spatial aspects, and explores the reasons behind the formation of individual differences in TOD-RTC. Finally, it discusses the new value and potential that TOD brings to urban development, along with predicting future development trends.

The path from home to school: study on migrant workers' children in Haining, Zhejiang Province

With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the number of migrant workers is increasing. As a result, the problem of whether children move with them has arisen, which has led to the emergence of a group of children who are in urgent need of child-friendly attention. At the institutional level, the most important measure of the Chinese government is to ensure the enrollment of migrant children, but now the institutional optimization is not enough. For example, the ' enrollment difficulty ' still exists, and many migrant children are forced to go to schools far away from home. This also leads to the lack of non-institutional level, such as the long distance to school so that these children cannot go to school independently. Through the data of parent interviews and behavior logs, this study verifies that the transfer of children significantly increases the cost of childcare for migrant workers, indirectly verifies the importance of school distance, and proposes that schools and matching public service facilities should be configured near industrial parks where migrant children are concentrated.

How Does Heavy Precipitation of Varying Durations Respond to Urbanization in China?

AbstractHeavy precipitation, which is changing significantly as Earth's climate warms, can result in flooding that seriously damages societies. However, little is known about how heavy precipitation of varying durations responds to the diverse gradients of urban development in China. Through statistical analyses spanning from 1990 to 2021, we have examined shorter‐duration (≤3 days) and longer‐duration (>3 days) heavy precipitation across a spectrum of urban development, encompassing long‐term built‐up (LTB), recently built‐up (RTB), and rural background catchments within each urban agglomeration catchment (UAC) across China. We find that urbanization primarily influences shorter‐duration heavy precipitation, with a more pronounced effect observed in the LTB catchments. Conversely, the influence of urbanization on longer‐duration heavy precipitation appears to be more weakened in the RTB catchments. The intensification of shorter‐duration heavy precipitation induced by urbanization is more pronounced in humid regions and within larger UACs, while the urban effect on longer‐duration heavy precipitation is weaker in humid regions and within larger UACs. Notably, the attribution analysis results of the geographical detector model confirm our findings. Anthropogenic‐related factors (population density, nighttime light data, impervious surface percent, land surface temperature) significantly influence shorter‐duration heavy precipitation in more UACs than natural factors (distance from the coast, wind and elevation), while natural factors dominate longer‐duration events in larger UACs across China. Our results highlight the necessity of considering the spatial difference between the UAC center and UAC periphery for accurate projections and effective prevention of heavy precipitation and potential flood risks in the future.

The Impact of New-Type Urbanization Policy on Urban Green Total Factor Productivity: New Evidence from China

China’s new-type urbanization has been instrumental in fostering high-quality economic and social progress. This research explores the impact and underlying mechanisms of the new-type urbanization policy on urban green total factor productivity (GTFP) by analyzing a sample of 165 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2009 to 2020. Utilizing the difference-in-differences (DID) approach, the study uncovers several key findings: (1) compared to non-pilot areas, the new-type urbanization policy significantly boosts urban GTFP by 43.5%, supporting a shift towards more sustainable and eco-friendly urban growth; (2) the analysis of impact mechanisms indicates that these policies enhance urban GTFP through technological innovation and environmental regulation; and (3) the urban agglomeration model test reveals that being part of an urban agglomeration amplifies the effects of the new-type urbanization policy on GTFP. These results underscore the significance of these policies in driving sustainable and high-quality urban development in China, offering valuable insights for policymakers to formulate and implement effective urbanization strategies.