This book investigates how the state intervenes in the urban system in China in the post-reform period. To do so, it constructs a conceptual framework based on the perspective of political hierarchy, suggesting that the state power is hierarchically organized in China’s urban system, leading to variations in urban government capacities among cities. The book reveals that the state has largely achieved the goal of its national urban system policy to “strictly control the scale of large cities” resulting in the under-development of the large cities if they are mainly developing according to the market force. However, this has become less influential with the advances toward a market economy. Further, state regulation and policies have reduced the gaps between cities at the top and bottom of the urban hierarchy. The book argues that the Urban Administrative System (UAS) is an important tool for the state to regulate urban system development, and the administrative level has a significant effect on urban growth performance. It contends that China’s urban system is strongly shaped by the omnipresent state through the UAS, which hierarchically differentiates between the urban growth processes. By controlling the administrative-level upgrading process, the state can prevent the size and number of cities from increasing too rapidly. This theoretical and empirical enquiry highlights the fact that the hierarchical power relations among cities and the resulting variations in urban government capacities are the key to understanding the role of the state in China’s urban system development in the post-reform period.

This innovative book provides the first integrated treatment of China’s market development, state regulation and the resulting transformation and creation of new urban spaces.

In The Asian City the Asian urbanisation processes, nature and characteristics of the 1990s have been analyzed by countries, by comparing different countries and in an international context. The authors are urban specialists from four continents. This volume has been divided into six parts: Part I Urbanisation in an international context; Part II Comparative urban setting; Part III Urbanisation characteristics by country; Part IV Urban planning; Part V The urban poor, and Part VI Perspectives on urbanization. This work allows the reader to understand Asian urban forms, their evolution, the nature of urbanisation, its impact on economic growth in cities, the living and working conditions of the poor, and urban planning and problems.

This book examines the nature and internal dynamics of China’s urban construction land (UCL) development, drawing insights from the recently developed theory of regional political ecology. Based on the author’s original research, it identifies two different types of UCL development in China, namely top-down, formal development in the legal and regulated domain, and spontaneous and informal, bottom-up development in the semi-legal, poorly regulated gray domain. Presenting a systematic analysis and comparison, it reveals a scale and speed of informal land development no less significant than that of formal land development, although informal land development tends to be scattered, pervasive, difficult to track, and largely overlooked in research and policy formation. Contrary to the popular perception of the peasantry as passive victims of land development, this book uncovers an intriguing dynamic in which the peasantry has played an increasingly (pro)active role in developing their rural land for urban uses in informal markets. Further, based on an investigation of UCL development in Beijing and Shenzhen, it shows an interesting trajectory in which the uneven growth and utilization of UCL are contingent upon the various developmental milieus in different places. China’s land institutions, based on an urban–rural dual land system, are not conducive to the ultimate goal of saving and efficiently utilizing land. Accordingly, an urban–rural integrated land market and management system is highly advisable. The theoretical and empirical enquiry presented challenges the perceived notion of China’s UCL development as the outcome of market demand and state supply. Further, it argues for an inclusive treatment of the informality that has characterized urbanization in many developing countries, and for a reassessment of the role played by the peasantry in land-based urbanization.

This book examines urban development and its role in planning in China and other Asian cities. Starting with a substantial narrative on the history, development philosophy, and urban form of ancient Asian cities, it then identifies the characteristics of urban society and different phases of development history. It then discusses urbanization patterns in China with a focus on spatial layout of the city clusters in the Yangtze River Delta since the 20th Century. Lastly, it explores institutional design and the legal system of urban planning in China and other Asian cities. As a textbook for the “Model Course in English” for international students listed by the Ministry of Education in China, it helps international researchers and students to understand urban development and planning in Asian cities.

World Bank Discussion Paper No. 352. Presents the proceedings of the China Urban Transport Symposium, held in Beijing, November 9-11, 1995, jointly sponsored by China's Ministry of Construction and Ministry of Finance, the People's Bank of China, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The symposium addressed a wide range of topics, including motor vehicle pollution, urban transport management and planning, bicycles in cities, mass rapid transit, public transit reform, and the role of the private sector.

Geography in America at the Dawn of the 21st Century surveys American geographers' current research in their specialty areas and tracks trends and innovations in the many subfields of geography. As such, it is both a 'state of the discipline' assessment and a topical reference. It includes an introduction by the editors and 47 chapters, each on a specific specialty. The authors of each chapter were chosen by their specialty group of the American Association of Geographers (AAG). Based on a process of review and revision, the chapters in this volume have become truly representative of the recent scholarship of American geographers. While it focuses on work since 1990, it additionally includes related prior work and work by non-American geographers. The initial Geography in America was published in 1989 and has become a benchmark reference of American geographical research during the 1980s. This latest volume is completely new and features a preface written by the eminent geographer, Gilbert White.

China's cities are subject to dramatic changes. Cities develop into Megacities, economic growth as well as the drastic increase of traffic contribute to a profound transformation of urban infrastructure. However, the processes are more visible than the stakeholders supporting such transformations. What are the location factors, spatial principles and planning philosophies that direct the cities' growth and reconstruction? The articles of this anthology investigate the above mentioned questions. Using various case studies, they analyse processes of location choice and transformation in Chinese coastal Megacities and in inland areas; they explore urban governance processes and - vice versa - also include the planning concepts of rural areas.

Since 2002 the United Nations Development Programme has been running 'City Planning, Management and Development in the 21st Century' across China, a project that focuses on five pilot cities (Guizhou, Taiyuan, Liuzhou, Meishan and Sanmenxia) to help analysis urban development trends and problems across Chinas as it undertakes rapid urbanisation. This detailed and authoritative report outlines the key findings from this research project which was led by Shao Yisheng, Vice President and Professor from China Academy of Urban Planning & Design. Whilst fully acknowledging the great achievements and spectacular levels of development, the purpose of this report is to outline the faults and contradictions that have proved central to China's accelerated urbanisation. These have been gathered into seven subject sections within the report: natural resources; living environment; image projects (prestige or 'showy' construction projects); public safety; social stratification; public finance; public policies. An in-depth analysis of these problem areas and their origins is supplied by the leading members of the research team. In addition, the authors propose solutions to each problem utilising innovative concepts, systems, policies, planning systems and management techniques. China's Urban Development: Critiques and Observations offers truly unique and distinctive views on China's urban changes, both positive and negative. It will prove extremely interesting to professionals, academics and students involved in urban development and planning outside of China, plus experts engaged in the urban economy, engineering, construction, urban sociology and political science. The key editors and contributors are Shao Yisheng, Vice President and Professor from China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, plus Shi Nan, Secretary General and Professor from Urban Planning Society of China. Additional contributors include senior academics from the Department for Industry, Transportation & Trade, Research Office of the State Council, and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.