China is undergoing rapid urbanization and globalization. The document discusses China's urbanization process over the last 6 decades, which has seen large-scale migration to cities and a dramatic increase in the number and size of cities. It outlines China's national spatial strategy to guide urbanization, which designates optimized development areas, priority development areas, restricted development areas, and prohibited development areas. The strategy aims to concentrate development in major urban centers and address regional imbalances. It also discusses regional policies that focus development in areas like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta. The spatial planning approach has helped China achieve compressed urbanization.

1. Challenging the Tradition
China in the midst of Urbanization and Globalization
SHI, Nan
2 0 11 -1 2- 08
Moscow Urban Forum

2. Guilin, Courtesy of Yu Huai

4. Northam’s Curve
E
D
C
B
A
Point A Point E Point B Point D
Average
Speed
GDP/Capita($) R of U (%) GDP/Capita($) R of U(%) GDP/Capita($) R of Ub(%) GDP/Capita($) R of U (%)
Average 696 25.8 24750 74.2 0.136 1480 31.3 11635 68.6
China 696 16.8 24750 65.2 0.136 1480 22.3 11635 59.6
Urbanization Process in China in Last 6 Decades Source: China National Statistics

5. Number & Size of Cites in China in Last 3 Decades
Arable Land(10,000 ha)
13200
13000
12800
12600
12400
12200
12000
11800
11600
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010
Source: Based on China National Statistics

6. Development Zones in China
National &
Provisional DZs:
1568 (9949KM2)
1049 counties with at
least 1 DZs
DZs KM2
Source: NDRC

7. Environmental Factors of Urbanization
Source: China National Statistics

8. 100,0%
GDP and Consumption of Industrial Goods (China/World %, 2010)
8,50%
90,0% 86,0%
80,0% 52,0%
45,0%
70,0%
60,0%
43,0%
50,0% 45,0%
GDP Coal Steel Cement
40,0%
40,0%
30,0% 25,0% 26,0%
20,0%
8,0% 9,7%
10,0%
4,1%
0,0%
Arable Land Water Oil Gas Copper Aluminium Iron Coal
Resources Per Capita(China/World,%)
Source: Based on China National Statistics

9. China’s Oil Import (Mtoe) GDP Growth Rate (%)
Electricity Consumption
Increase Rate (%)
Energy Consumption Increase Rate (%)
Source: NEB, 2010
Based on Survey of 287 Cities in 2006
World Energy Consumption (Mtoe) World Energy Consumption Per Capita
Source: Based on BP, IMF, 2010
Source: based on China Statistics, etc

10. Source: UNDP

11. Global economic recession
Economic Restructure
Agricultural Modernization
Bridge the regional gap
Streamlined Regional
Guidelines
Demands for
Urbanization
Challenges for
Urbanization Enhance global competitiveness
Spatial Promote regional cooperation
Migration Strategy Promote social coherence
Tendencies Encourage sustainable economy
Supporting
Conditions
Multi-level
Diversified Urban
System
Physical Conditions
Land Resources
Water, Energy Condition
Environmental Capacity

12. National Territories Demands
Categories Categories
Primary Outputs Secondary Outputs
by Function By Land Use
Development Industrial Agricultural &
Optimized Area Urbanized
Products and Ecological
Region
Services Products
Development
Ecological
Priority Area Agricultural
Agricultural Products, Services
Production and Industrial
Products
Development Region Products
Restricted Area
Key Agricultural,
Ecological
Ecological Services &
Development Goods Industrial Products
Region
Prohibited Area

13. National Spatial Strategy for Urbanization
Source: NDRC 13

14. Strategy: Development Restricted Areas
25 National Eco-districts
Source: NDRC

15. Strategy: Agricultural Production

16. Strategy: Ecological Security
Source: NDRC

17. Strategy: Development Prohibited Areas
Source: NDRC

18. Regional Policy:
Coastal East
Quality instead of speed of
urbanization
• Global competitiveness: Beijing-Tianjin-
Hebei, Yangtze Delta, Pear River Delta
agglomeration
• Inclusive growth for migrants
Urban network instead of urban
hierarchy
• Dissemination of industries to medium
and small cities
• Upgrading and regeneration of big cities
Livable city instead of
manufacturing base
• Regional ecological rehabilitation
• Low carbon technology in urban
development
• Affordable urban life
Source: Mohurd

19. Regional Policy:
Central China
Capacity building to enhance the
location strength
• Provincial capitals and city clusters
• Regional centers, county seats and rural
towns
• Balanced migration
Promote the agricultural
productivity for the national food
security
• Arable land preservation
• Green industries
Infrastructure improvements
• Regional communications
• Water conservancy
Source: Mohurd

20. Regional Policy:
Western China
Concentrated Polarization
Strategy
• Central city-region
• County seat town, industrial city
Prioritized Strategy
• New energy town
• Frontier city
• Revitalization of mine city etc.
Redistribution of Industries
and Rural Population
• Density of settlements
• Ecological conservation
• Resilient city Source: Mohurd

21. Regional Policy:
North-Eastern Region
Regeneration the Old
Industrial Cities
• Upgrading the infrastructures and
services
• Economic restructuring
Frontier Cities Growth
• Cross Boarder Communications
• Regional urban system
Small City and Town
Development
• Rural centers
• Ecological rehabilitation
• Regional facilities
Source: Mohurd

22. China’s
Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei
World
City Beijing & Environs
Modern International City by 2020
Initiatives World City by 2050
Yangtze Delta
Shanghai & Yangtze Delta
International Financial,
Trade, Manufacturing and
Shipping Center
Hong Kong & Pearl Delta
International Financial, Trade
and Manufacturing Center
Pearl River Delta

23. Conclusions
Spatial strategic planning at national and regional levels has been prove a
big success during the “compressed” urbanization in China.
For a country like China with vast territory, huge population and fast
economic growth, it is essential to emphasize on the development of
major urban centers/agglomerations to build up the national
competitiveness in globalization.
Maintaining a rational urban growth rate is important, even more
important is to bridge the gaps between different sectors, regions and
social groups.
Bottom-up initiatives are of particular importance while the top-down
systematic innovation has always played special role in the process of
industrialization, urbanization and marketization in China.

24. • Thanks
Shi Nan 中国城市规划学会
shinan@china.com Urban Planning Society of China
+86-10-5832-3851 www.planning.org.cn
+86-13801125011 Fax: +86-10-5832-3850