Urbanization Process In China Research Articles

Dynamics of respiratory infectious diseases under rapid urbanization and COVID-19 pandemic in the subcenter of Beijing during 2014–2022

ObjectiveThe study analyzed the impact of urbanization on epidemiological characteristics of respiratory infectious disease in Tongzhou District, Beijing during 2014–2022 to provide reference for prevention and control priorities of respiratory infectious diseases during the innovative urbanization process in China. MethodsThe incidence data of notifiable respiratory infectious diseases (NRIDs) in Tongzhou Beijing during 2014–2022 were summarized. The trend of incidence rate was analyzed by Joinpoint regression model, and entropy method was performed to construct the comprehensive index of urbanization (CIU) and generalized linear model was used to analyze the influence of CIU on the incidence rate of respiratory infectious diseases. ResultsTotally 72616 NRIDs cases were reported in Tongzhou District during 2014–2022, and the incidence rate of NRIDs was higher during 2017–2019 (153/100 000) than during 2014–2016 (930/100 000) and during 2020–2022 (371/100 000), respectively (both P < 0.001). The CIU constantly increased with slight fluctuation in 2016 and 2018, respectively. The incidence rate of NRIDs showed an increase along with the CIU during 2014–2019 (r = 0.95, P = 0.004), while the incidence rate's tendency was interrupted by COVID-19 during 2020 with slight decrease in 2020–2021 and rebounded in 2022. For the patients aged <15 years, the incidence rate of NRIDs revealed a very sharp rise at the urbanization period without COVID-19 pandemic compared with that under pre-urbanization period (RR = 7.93, 95 % CI 7.63−8.24), and dropped off to the similar level as of pre-urbanization period when COVID-19 pandemic spread. ConclusionsUrbanization process may increase the incidence of NRIDs but constrained by COVID-19. Certain measures should be taken to prevent and control the effects by urbanization process, such as good natural environment with less population density, ecological environment with good air quality, promoted hand hygiene, mask wearing, keeping interpersonal distance, vaccination, media publicity for NRIDs’ prevention and control.

Analysis of Tourism Attraction Based on SPSS: A Case Study of Tangcun Village in Xi'an

Although China's urbanization process continues to advance, the vast majority of the post-80s and post-90s grew up in the traditional villages, and the traditional villages still have a natural attraction for them. Even if they become a new generation of city residents, due to the hustle and bustle of the city, urban residents yearn for a peaceful and leisurely pastoral life with the beauty of nature.The current academic research on traditional villages focuses on the development of rural tourism industry under the background of rural revitalization, and the high-quality development of rural tourism industry.With the change of consumption subjects and consumption structure, this paper takes China Tangcun Chinese Agricultural Park as an example to explore the influencing factors of Tangcun tourism attraction through questionnaire survey and interview method, in order to explore the influencing factors of traditional village tourism attraction in the experience economy era, and provide strategies for the development and optimization of traditional village tourism products.

The Driving effect of industrial upgrading on new-type urbanization in Zhejiang Province

The process of urbanization is supported by the economic foundation and accompanied by the upgrading of industrial structure. At present, the new-type urbanization of Zhejiang is in the stage of rapid development, and the upgrading of industrial structure is continuously and stably advanced and rational. Urban and rural development and urban construction are gradually moving towards a higher level. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the driving effect of industrial upgrading on the new-type urbanization in Zhejiang Province for studying how to further promote the new-type urbanization process in China. Based on the analysis of industrial structure upgrading and urbanization in Zhejiang Province, this paper adopts the entropy weighting method to comprehensively evaluate the new-type urbanization level of each city in Zhejiang Province. Using panel data from 2009 to 2018, empirical analysis is made on the influencing factors of new-type urbanization level score of each city in Zhejiang Province. The influence of industrial structure upgrading index and other factors on the new-type urbanization level in Zhejiang province is obtained, which provides reference for Zhejiang and other regions to guide the industrial upgrading and improve the new-type urbanization development level.

Urban Shrinkage from the Perspective of Economic Resilience and Population Change: A Case Study of the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Inner Mongolia Region

With the increasing uncertainty of urban development, urban shrinkage in the rapid urbanization process in China has become increasingly serious. While many studies have explored urban shrinkage from the economic and population perspectives, they often ignore the essence of the phased evolution of economic and population factors. Thus, this study introduces the theory of economic resilience into the field of urban shrinkage and constructs a theoretical method for identifying urban shrinkage by integrating economic resilience and population change to reveal the evolutionary trajectory of regional urban growth and shrinkage. The results show that urban economic resilience and population change in the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Inner Mongolia region (SSIMR) exhibit strong volatility, highlighting the importance of conducting urban shrinkage studies within specific crisis disturbance scenarios. In the context of the “new normal of the economy”, the economic resilience of cities in the SSIMR has significantly declined, and the problem of economic recession is gradually intensifying. The population change trend of cities in the SSIMR is relatively stable, with population loss being a common problem in urban development in the area and its scope and intensity increasing daily. Urban development in the SSIMR is evolving from global growth to widespread shrinkage, with 56.67% of the cities experiencing relative shrinkage, showing a spatial pattern of “western growth–eastern shrinkage”. Factors such as the agglomeration effect, industrial structure, and policy system collectively shape the evolution of urban growth and shrinkage.

Research on the mechanism involved in urban social inclusiveness and resident entrepreneurship: Evidence from China

During the urbanization process in China, issues such as the widening wealth gap, class stratification, and social exclusion influenced residents' decisions to pursue entrepreneurship. Inclusiveness is an inevitable trend in new urbanization, and it is also a key factor in promoting residents' entrepreneurship and stimulating the potential for social innovation. Based on three key principles, “fairness, openness, and sharing, “ this paper assesses the relationship, and the internal mechanism driving the relationship, between urban social inclusiveness and resident entrepreneurship. This includes constructing an urban social inclusiveness index, and analyzing data from the 2018 China General Social Survey (CGSS). The key results indicate that urban social inclusiveness has a significant positive effect on resident entrepreneurship. The mechanism analysis shows that urban social inclusiveness can improve the probability of residents being entrepreneurial, by improving risk attitude, promoting class mobility, and expanding social networks. Heterogeneity analysis shows that urban social inclusiveness has a significant impact on the entrepreneurial of local residents, and low-class and high-class residents; urban social inclusiveness has no significant impact on the entrepreneurial choice of transient residents and middle-class residents. Besides, urban social inclusiveness plays a more significant role in promoting residents' choice of survival entrepreneurship, compared with opportunistic entrepreneurship.

Utilization of oyster shell nano-hydroxyapatite modified red-brick waste as an environmentally friendly composite filler for Cd(II) and Cr(VI) adsorption: Preparation, property and mechanism

The ongoing process of urbanization in China has led to a growing concern regarding environmental contamination caused by the significant accumulation of construction demolition trash. This study employs the water thermal method to synthesize hydroxyapatite using natural waste oyster shells as the primary raw material. This study explores the use of synthesized hydroxyapatite (O-HA) on building waste red-brick fragments (RBF) for removing cadmium (Cd(II)) and chromium (Cr(VI)) from water. The RBF fillers, both before and after modification, underwent comprehensive characterization using various techniques, including automated analysis of specific surface area and porosity (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In the sixth cycle of purification experiments, the average removal rate of Cd(II) by O-HA-modified red-bricks (O-HA/RBF) could still reach 88.18 %, which was about 20.00 % higher than that of the RBF. However, the removal of Cr(VI) by O-HA/RBF was unsatisfactory at 5.33 %. The adsorption mechanisms of Cd(II) and Cr(VI) were explored by isothermal adsorption tests and adsorption kinetic tests. According to the mechanism analysis, physical adsorption and chemical adsorption were the main reasons for Cd(II) adsorption by O-HA/RBF. This involves ion exchange and surface complexation between calcium ions in O-HA and Cd(II), forming a low-solubility precipitate for effective removal. However, for Cr(VI), physisorption predominantly governs O-HA/RBF, elucidating the limited efficacy in Cr(VI) removal. The cost analysis showed that using O-HA/RBF as filler reduced overall expenses in wetland development, offering promising prospects for engineering applications.

From Confrontation to Integration: Changes of the Urban-Rural Relationship in China's Rural Movies in Social Transformation

This paper delves into the evolving portrayal of the urban-rural dynamic in Chinese rural films over the past four decades, set against the backdrop of China's profound social transformation. Our primary focus is on how the narrative shifts within Chinese rural cinema have both mirrored and shaped the broader socio-cultural changes accompanying China's urbanization process, thereby influencing the identities of rural inhabitants. To facilitate this exploration, we conduct a comparative analysis of two pivotal films: "Life" (1984) and "Coffee or Tea" (2020). Throughout this study, we pinpoint significant narrative transitions that mark this evolution, such as the shift from individuals "leaving hometowns" to "returning home," providing insight into varying levels of social status among villagers. Additionally, we observe a transformation in character portrayals from "runaway" figures to "new farmers," reflecting changing rural perspectives towards their places of origin. Moreover, there is a notable shift in value orientations from an emphasis on "individual struggle" to a focus on "common prosperity," showcasing the countryside's capacity to integrate new technologies and ideologies. These narrative transformations signal a shift in the urban-rural relationship, progressing from a state of opposition and division to one of integration and reconciliation. Concurrently, the identities of rural inhabitants undergo a transformation, shifting from a self-centered focus to one centered around their hometowns. This study not only offers valuable insights into rural narrative texts within the context of modernity narratives but also provides an in-depth exploration of contemporary Chinese rural cinema as an art form.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 26 September 2023 / Accepted: 15 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

How does economic agglomeration affect carbon emissions at the county level in Liaoning China?

China's regional economic development has become a regional agglomeration model. The implementation of urbanization strategies promotes spatial concentration and catalyzes economic agglomeration. Due to the heterogeneity of economic development at various spatial scales, economic agglomeration has different environmental externalities. Peak carbon and carbon neutrality make it vital to explore these externalities in China's urbanization process, especially at smaller scales. This study uses a long time series of macro data for 42 counties in Liaoning Province and constructs a dynamic spatial panel Dubin model to assess the impact of economic agglomeration on carbon emissions, showing that agglomeration and emissions exhibit an “inverted N-shaped” curve at the county level. There is a threshold of emission increases and reductions for economic agglomeration. When economic agglomeration exceeds a threshold, it shows a significant emission reduction effect. After further decomposition of spatial effects, economic agglomeration affects carbon emissions through two channels: the direct and the indirect effect with urbanization as a mediator. There are also spillover effects of economic agglomeration on carbon intensity, meaning that economic agglomeration impacts carbon emissions in the region and surrounding areas. The results provide a reference for development guidelines and emission reduction policies at the county level, emphasizing the need to balance the economy and the environment in county regional development.

Sustainable Community Transformation and Planning Based on Community Layout and Low Impact Development Concept

The Sustainable Cities and Communities emphasized in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are cities and residential communities that prioritize inclusivity, safety, and resilience against disaster risks. China's urbanization process has embarked on a trajectory of rapid development, characterized by substantial advancements in urban construction and continuous enhancements to the urban landscape and environment. Confronted with an immense urban population scale, the sustainable transformation of traditional communities has emerged as the primary focus for establishing resilient communities. This paper compares the disparities between communities established by the traditional community model and sustainable community concept, scrutinizes the limitations of traditional community models, and proposes strategies for the sustainable transformation of traditional communities through adopting low impact development concepts in rainwater management. For the "block" layout, this paper proposes enhancing the connectivity of green spaces and promoting diversity. For the "central" layout, it is recommended to optimize access roads, including pedestrian and vehicle routes, by integrating green spaces. In the case of an "intensive" layout, emphasis should be placed on improving resource utilization efficiency through multi-functional approaches. For the planning of new sustainable communities, this paper puts forward suggestions from the micro and macro planning levels.

Surface settlement law of double-hole pipe-jacking tunnel undercrossing expressway

With the rapid urbanization process in China, there has been a significant development of urban underground spaces. The pipe-jacking method has gained popularity in various projects due to its advantages such as short construction period, adaptability to different soil conditions, and minimal excavation disturbance. This study focuses on a tunnel project involving double-hole rectangular pipe-jacking under an expressway. Utilizing FLAC software, a three-dimensional numerical model was created to analyze the impact of double-hole pipe-jacking construction on surface settlement and deformation of the expressway. The simulation results were validated by comparing them with field monitoring data. The study also investigated the impact of different construction parameters, such as excavation sequence and the angle of underpassing the expressway, on surface settlement. Additionally, the surface settlement curve at the slope bottom of the expressway exhibits asymmetric distribution and an offset center in the settlement trough. It is recommended to carry out the construction of double-hole pipe-jacking in the sequence of "big first and then small". Furthermore, when the included angle between the expressway and the jacking axis is 90°, the impact on surface settlement is minimized. This research provides valuable insights for the construction of double-hole pipe-jacking underpass structures in tunnel engineering.

Research on the wind environment in an enclosed courtyard: Effect of the opening position, size and wind angle

With the urbanization process in China, outdoor thermal environments are drawing increasing attention, of which comfortable pedestrian height wind environments are crucial for urban outdoor spaces. Few studies have been conducted on the comfort wind zone ratio (CWZR)11Abbreviations: CFD, computational fluid dynamics; CWZR, comfort wind zone ratio; MWSR, mean wind speed ratio; SWZR, static wind zone ratio. models for openings in enclosed courtyards. We quantitatively analyzed the effects of different opening positions, sizes, and wind angles on the wind environment of campus enclosed courtyards via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and CWZR models were established for different opening sizes and wind angles. The results are as follows: (1) The opening position, opening size and wind angle significantly affected the outdoor wind environment. (2) Under the dominant wind direction in summer, the cross-opening position better improved the courtyard wind environment than the symmetrical opening. The courtyard CWZR significantly increased with increasing inlet opening size and increased with decreasing outlet opening size. (3) A wind angle from 2° to 47° is the recommended angle for typical courtyard opening types, and the maximum courtyard CWZR occurred at a wind angle of 10°. The study results could guide courtyard building design and courtyard wind environment optimization and enrich the theoretical study of outdoor wind environments.

The ivory tower in China’s speculative urbanism: instrumentalizing the university-healthcare nexus

ABSTRACT This research investigates how the public university engages in China's speculative urbanism by establishing and operationalizing the university-healthcare nexus through both real estate and healthcare businesses. Drawing on open company data and expert interviews, the organizational structure of public and private actors in the university-healthcare nexus of the Peking University Healthcare City was unfold as a case study. Findings reveal that the university-healthcare nexus was established by Peking University and its subsidiary private companies. The nexus enables speculative urban development by aligning stakeholders' interests, branding healthcare businesses, and camouflaging profit-driven real estate development. This research thus brings an alternative perspective to understanding the relationship between public and private institutions and the critical role of universities in China's urbanization process. Since the research is based on an individual case study, future comparative studies could help test the scalability of the implications.

Development Status and Countermeasures of Cold Chain Logistics in China

With the advancement of China's urbanization process, the competition in the field of cold chain logistics is becoming more and more fierce. People's attention to food safety is increasing, and the cold chain logistics industry in Shandong Province has been developed. Cold-chain logistics industry, however, has some problems, such as imperfect infrastructure, technology and talent shortage, etc., therefore, cold chain logistics industry in Shandong province should take a series of countermeasures, such as strengthening the construction of infrastructure, promoting technological innovation, cultivating talents, etc., is expected to further promote the development of cold chain logistics, improve service quality and transportation efficiency. This will help promote the development of agricultural products, fresh food and other industries in Shandong province, and promote economic growth and the increase of employment opportunities.

Recent urbanization increases exposure to humid-heat extreme events over populated regions of China

Extreme-heat research has largely focused on dry heat, while humid heat, which presents a major societal impact, especially on human health, remains relatively understudied. Previous studies have revealed that a wet-bulb temperature (TW) of 35 °C marks our upper physiological limit, and much lower values also have serious health impacts. Our evaluations from observations showed that the daily maximum TW values over China have been scarcely reported above 35 °C, but humid-heat extreme days of TW above 30 °C have been reported each year during the past four decades, being mainly centered over the highly populated regions, including East China, South China, and the Sichuan basin. Further analyses indicated that the recent rapid urbanization process in China has amplified the societal impacts of humid-heat extremes, and land exposure to humid heat over urban regions is expected to increase at a faster rate than other regions of China. This suggests increasing risks of humid-heat extremes on human health in big cities of densely populated regions due to rapid urbanization. As indicated here, the population of China has become increasingly exposed to such extremes, with a strong increasing tendency of about 3100 persons per day per year since 2000.摘要目前对于高温的研究主要侧重于干热, 针对湿热的研究相对较少, 但它通常会造成更大的社会影响, 尤其对人体健康的威胁. 已有研究证实, 当环境湿球温度超过35 °C时, 它会破坏人体正常生理代谢, 进而威胁人体健康. 本研究指出在过去四十年, 中国区域日最高湿球温度几乎没有超过35 °C, 但部分地区日最高湿球温度超过了30 °C, 主要集中在中国的人口密集区, 包括华东, 华南和四川盆地等. 进一步分析发现, 中国区域近期的快速城市化加剧了极端湿热事件的社会影响, 城市地区暴露于极端湿热事件的范围的增加速率明显大于其他地区, 这也意味着快速城市化使得人口密集区暴露于极端湿热事件的风险明显增加. 初步估算指出, 自2000年以来, 中国区域暴露于极端湿热事件的人口数以每年每天约3100人次的速率显著增加.

Identification of densely populated-informal settlements and their role in Chinese urban sustainability assessment

ABSTRACT China’s National Plan on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development identified the upgrading of urban shantytowns, urban villages, and dilapidated houses as an important initiative to implement the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11.1. However, informal housing being used as temporary housing by low-income families (especially in megacities) has resulted in informal settlements that are usually densely populated, dilapidated, and disorganized. Identifying targets based on deep learning and single very high-resolution images remains a challenging task. Here, we used multi-source geographic information data and machine-learning methods to identify and compare the distribution of densely populated‒informal settlements (DPISs) and measured population ratios within the urban areas of three Chinese first-tier cities: Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Our results indicate that DPISs occupy 1.98%, 0.67%, and 3.95% of the total area in these study regions, with population densities of 42,800 people/km2, 7,100 people/km2, and 20,800 people/km2, respectively. Further, significant variability existed in the distribution of DPISs, population ratios, and composition of the study areas. DPISs reflected the rapid urbanization process in China and the planning of the city, which can be used as an indicator of sustainable urban development in China.

Analysis of the Driving Mechanism of Land Comprehensive Carrying Capacity from the Perspective of Urban Renewal

After a period of rapid development, the process of urbanization in China has gradually shifted from “scale expansion” to “enhanced quality”. The scarcity of urban land resources has created constraints on resources and economic development. This paper examines the carrying capacity of urban land resources from the perspective of urban renewal. A conceptual model of the driving mechanism of land comprehensive carrying capacity is constructed, incorporating six dimensions and 22 indicators, including urban renewal and urban ecology. Through questionnaire surveys and structural equation modeling, feedback data are analyzed, and measurement models, structural models, and mediation effects are examined to analyze the causal paths of factors in different dimensions on the comprehensive carrying capacity of urban land. The research results indicate that all six dimensions in the conceptual model have a direct positive impact on the land carrying capacity. In terms of direct effects, the influencing factors are ranked in descending order of magnitude as follows: urban development, urban disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, infrastructure development, urban renewal, social economy, and urban ecology. In terms of overall effects, factors are ranked in descending order of magnitude as follows: urban development, social economy, urban ecology, urban renewal, urban disaster prevention and mitigation capacity, and infrastructure development.

Urban administrative hierarchy and urban land use efficiency: Evidence from Chinese cities

The allocation of administrative resources is of vital importance, especially when discussing the process of urbanization in China. Under the unique political and administrative systems found in China, it is the urban administrative hierarchy (UAH) that determines both the agglomeration model and the allocation process of urban resources. Based on the panel data of 281 cities in China from 2003 to 2017, a dynamic spatial panel model (DSPM) and a mediation effect model are used to investigate the effect of the UAH on urban land use efficiency (ULUE), both from a theoretical and empirical point of view. The study finds not only the higher the administrative level, the higher the ULUE, but also that improvements to the UAH can significantly improve ULUE. After considering a series of robustness tests, the research conclusion is held to be valid. This paper also finds that both public services and investment environment have significant mediation effects with respect to the UAH and ULUE, but financial subsidies and infrastructure have significant suppressing effects. The paper promotes the understanding of ULUE and reveals the economic significance of the administrative hierarchy in resource allocation in a more general sense.

The Application of GIS Technology in the Construction of Smart City

At present, China's urbanization process is accelerating, urban pressure is gradually increasing, and urban problems are becoming more and more serious. The GIS technology based on the powerful analysis function of computer provides a new solution and response strategy for the construction of smart cities. This paper focuses on the application of GIS technology in smart city construction, mainly involving the construction of GIS technology platform, resource integration, smart transportation, urban planning and emergency management. And the role of 3D visualization, spatial analysis and real-time data sharing based on GIS in the process of smart city construction, and on this basis, the future GIS industry is prospected.

Effects of rising and extreme temperatures on production factor efficiency: Evidence from China's cities

Cities are the main drivers of climate change; they are also more vulnerable to it than rural areas. Improving the utilization efficiency of various production factors is an important way for cities to fight climate change. Using observations from across 36 large and medium-sized Chinese cities, this study finds that most cities experienced temperature rises in the past half century, with average increases of 0.5 °C. Based on the city-level production possibility set, this study constructs a factor-specific efficiency model of the directional distance function version. Using data from Chinese prefectures and above-level cities with a population of more than 1 million, we calculated three factor efficiencies: labor, energy, and environment. The econometric analysis revealed that the rising temperatures had a positive effect on all three efficiencies. This finding may be related to China's geographical location within a temperate zone; consequently, the increase in temperature moved its temperatures to an optimal level. However, extreme temperatures had a negative impact on the efficiency of three factors. Further analysis found that rising temperatures brought more benefits to cities dominated by tertiary industries, while extreme temperatures brought more harm to cities dominated by secondary industries. As part of China's urbanization process, large central cities often support tertiary industries with various resources, thereby moving secondary industries to the surrounding small cities. Our results suggest that as global warming intensifies, new economic inequalities may arise between cities with different industrial structures.

Research on Dynamic Monitoring of Coordinated Development of Economy, Environment and High Haze Pollution Industries Such as the Thermal Power Industry in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region

With the accelerating urbanization process in China, the extensive economic growth model with high energy consumption and high pollution aggravates atmospheric environmental pollution and restricts the sustainable development of the social economy. The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region has the most severe haze pollution and the most acute contradiction between resources, environment and economic development. Based on the physical coupling theory, this paper constructs a coupling coordination degree model of the economy, environment and high haze pollution industries, such as the thermal power industry. Through literature analysis and expert investigation of the economic, industrial and environmental data of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region from 2006 to 2018, the coordinated development of the economy, environment and high haze pollution industries, such as the thermal power industry, in the above region, was dynamically monitored. The monitoring results show that the development level of the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei region is significantly different, and the three subregions have not entered the stage of coordinated development. Moreover, since 2015, they have been in a bottleneck period of development and have not achieved a higher level of progress. The three subregions have different advantages and restraining factors. For example, the backward level of Hebei’s economy and high haze pollution industries, such as the thermal power industry, restrict the coordinated development of the region as a whole. Only by accelerating the high-quality development of the Hebei economy can we break through the bottleneck of the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.