Abstract
The relationship between China’s urbanization and economic development (RCUED) is an important concern nationwide. As important actors in regional strategy and policy, county-level regions have played an increasingly significant role in the development of China’s social economy. However, the existing research on the RCUED lacks the fine depiction of the county-level administrative units. Using 2000 and 2010 census data and the statistical analysis method, we uncovered the evolution characteristics of China’s urbanization and economic development and conducted a quantitative identification for the RCUED with improved methods using the quadrant map approach. In addition, we investigated the spatial correlation effect of the RCUED using the spatial autocorrelation analysis method. The results were as follows: 1) In general, a high degree of matching exists between China’s urbanization and economic development at the county level at the significance level of 0.01. The correlation coefficients between China’s urbanization and economic development in 2000 and 2010 were 0.608 and 0.603, respectively. 2) A significant regional difference exists in the RCUED at the county level. Based on a comparative analysis of 2276 county units in China in the two years, we found that county units can be categorized as under-urbanized, basic coordination and over-urbanized in various areas. No situation was observed where urbanization seriously lagged behind the economic development level, so the levels of urbanization and economic development appear to be basically coordinated, and the coordination state may be gradually optimized over time. 3) Over time, the spatial dependency of the RCUED has weakened and the spatial heterogeneity has increased. Northeast China has always been an area characterized by over-urbanization. The number of county units classified as under-urbanized has begun to decline in eastern coastal urban agglomeration areas, while counties rich in resources have transformed from having point-shaped over-urbanization to plane-shaped under-urbanization along the northern border, and the number of over-urbanized county units has increased in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. 4) ‘Lag-lag’ type and ‘advance-advance’ type accounted for 68% of all counties in China, and these counties were shown to have obvious spatial differentiation characteristics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anselin L, 1995. Local indicators of spatial association—LISA. Geographical Analysis, 27(2): 93–115. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-4632.1995.tb00338.x
Bloom D E, Canning D, Fink G, 2008. Urbanization and the wealth of nations. Science, 319(5864): 772–775. doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153057
Cao S X, Lyu Y, Zheng H R et al., 2014. Challenges facing China’s unbalanced urbanization strategy. Land Use Policy, 39: 412–415. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.12.004
Chan K W, 1992. Economic growth strategy and urbanization policies in China, 1949–1982. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 16(2): 275–305. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2427.1992.tb00173.x
Chang G H, Brada J C, 2006. The paradox of China’s growing under-urbanization. Economic Systems, 30(1): 24–40. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecosys.2005.07.002
Chen Mingxing, Lu Dadao, Zha Liangsong, 2009. Urbanization and economic development in China: an international comparison based on quadrant map approach. Geographical Research, 28(2): 464–474. (in Chinese)
Chen Mingxing, Lu Dadao, Zha Liangsong, 2010. The comprehensive evaluation of China’s urbanization and effects on resources and environment. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 20(1): 17–30. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-010-0017-0
Chen Mingxing, Huang Yongbin, Tang Zhiping et al., 2014. The provincial pattern of the relationship between urbanization and economic development in China. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 24(1): 33–45. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-014-1071-9
Chen M X, Liu W D, Tao X L, 2013. Evolution and assessment on China’s urbanization 1960–2010: Under-urbanization or over-urbanization? Habitat International, 38: 25–33. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2012.09.007
Deng X Z, Bai X M, 2014. Sustainable urbanization in western China. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 56(3): 12–24. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.2014.901836
Dong X Y, Putterman L, 2000. Prereform industry and state monopsony in China. Journal of Comparative Economics, 28(1): 32–60. doi: https://doi.org/10.1006/jcec.1999.1644
Ebanks G E, Cheng C, 1990. China: a unique urbanization model. Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 5(3): 29–50
Fan Jie, Wang Hongyuan, Chen Dong et al., 2010. Discussion on sustainable urbanization in Tibet. Chinese Geographical Science, 20(3): 258–268. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-010-0258-y
Fang Chuanglin, Liu Haiyan, 2007. The spatial privation and the corresponding controlling paths in China’s urbanization process. Acta Geographica Sinica, 62(8): 849–860. (in Chinese)
Fang Chuanglin, Liu Xiaoli, Lin Xueqin, 2008. Stages correction and regularity analysis of urbanization course of China. Arid Land Geography, 31(4): 512–523.(in Chinese)
Friedmann J, 2006. Four theses in the study of China’s urbanization. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 30(2): 440–451. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2427.2006.00671.x
Gatrell A C, 1979. Autocorrelation in spaces. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 11(5): 507–516. doi: https://doi.org/10.1068/a110507
Henderson J V, 1988. Urban Development: Theory, Fact and Illusion. New York: Oxford University Press.
Henderson V, 2003. The Urbanization process and economic growth: the so-what question. Journal of Economic Growth, 8(1): 47–71. doi: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022860800744.
Li Xuemei, Zhang Xiaolei, Du Hongru et al., 2012. Spatial effect of mineral resources exploitation on urbanization: a case study of Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, China. Chinese Geographical Science, 22(5): 590–601. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-012-0554-9
Li Y Z, 2017. Urbanization and economic growth in China—an empirical research based on VAR model. International Journal of Economics and Finance, 9(3): 210–219. doi: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijef.v9n3p210
Lin G C S, 2006. Peri-urbanism in globalizing China: a study of new urbanism in Dongguan. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 47(1): 28–53. doi: https://doi.org/10.2747/1538-7216.47.1.28
Lin G C S, 2007. Chinese urbanism in question: state, society, and the reproduction of urban Spaces. Urban Geography, 28(1): 7–29. doi: https://doi.org/10.2747/0272-3638.28.1.7
Liu Yanjun, Li Chenggu, 2009. Regulation model and mechanism of urbanization response to the industrial structure evolvement in Northeast China. Acta Geographica Sinica, 64(2): 153–166. (in Chinese)
Liu Yansui, Yang Ren, 2012. The spatial characteristics and formation mechanism of the county urbanization in China. Acta Geographica Sinica, 67(8): 1011–1020. (in Chinese)
Lu Dadao, 2007. Urbanization process and spatial sprawl in China. Urban Planning Forum, (4): 47–52. (in Chinese)
National Statistical Bureau of China, 2001a. China County Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistics Press. (in Chinese)
National Statistical Bureau of China, 2001b. China City Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistics Press. (in Chinese)
National Statistical Bureau of China, 2011a. China Statistical Yearbook for Regional Economy. Beijing: China Statistics Press. (in Chinese)
National Statistical Bureau of China, 2011b. China City Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistics Press. (in Chinese)
Overman H G, 2004. Can we learn anything from economic geography proper? Journal of Economic Geography, 4(5): 501–516. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jnlecg/lbh028
Qi Yuanjing, Yang Yu, Jin Fengjun, 2013. China’s economic development stage and its spatio-temporal evolution: a prefectural-level analysis. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 23(2): 297–314. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-013-1011-0
Wang Deli, Fang Chuanglin, Gao Boyang et al., 2011. Measurement and spatio-temporal distribution of urbanization development quality of urban agglomeration in China. Chinese Geographical Science, 21(6): 695–707. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-011-0477-x
Wang Fenglong, Liu Yungang, 2015. How unique is ‘China Model’: a review of theoretical perspectives on China’s urbanization in Anglophone literature. Chinese Geographical Science, 25(1): 98–112. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-014-0713-2
Wang Jing, Li Yurui, 2016. Spatial pattern and influencing factors of urbanization development in China at county level: a quantitative analysis based on 2000 and 2010 census data. Acta Geographica Sinica, 71(4): 621–636. (in Chinese)
Xiong Jun, 2009. Discussions on the lag of the Chinese urbanization level in international comparison. Chinese Journal of Population Science, (6): 32–40, 111. (in Chinese)
Xiu Yingchang, Li Haixia, Gao Jinggui, 2017. The city pattern of the relationship between urbanization and economic development in Shandong Province. Journal of Shandong University of Technology (Natural Science Edition), 31(3): 65–69. (in Chinese)
Yang Zhen, 2011. Temporal-spatial differences of China’s regional development and ecological pressure. China Population, Resources and Environment, 21(4): 50–54. (in Chinese)
Yang Zhen, Lei Jun, Li Jiangang, 2019. Identifying the determinants of urbanization in prefecture-level cities in China: A quantitative analysis based on spatial production theory. Sustainability, 11, 1204. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11041204
Zhang L, Zhao S X, 2003. Reinterpretation of China’s underurbanization: a systemic perspective. Habitat International, 27(3): 459–483. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0197-3975(02)00071-1
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation item: Under the auspices of the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road (Pan-TPE) (No. XDA20040400)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, Z., Zhang, X., Lei, J. et al. Spatio-temporal Pattern Characteristics of Relationship Between Urbanization and Economic Development at County Level in China. Chin. Geogr. Sci. 29, 553–567 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-019-1053-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-019-1053-z