Abstract：Since the reform and opening up, China's industrialization has been following dual courses in urban and rural areas, and urbanization and industrialization have been developing simultaneously. The three upgrading of consumption demands having taken place in China not only helps stimulate economic growth and enables the rapid penetration of urbanized lifestyle in both cities and rural area but also facilitates the introduction of foreign investment and technologies. The private business, and the collective economy and the establishment of development zones are a model of urbanization led by Chinese government. The paper examines the changes of the major driving force mechanism of urbanization over the 25 years of reform and opening up as well as their impact on social and economic development. It then presents two case studies of urbanization in Zhenjiang and Jiangsu Provinces respectively.
Current1y, China's industrialization and urbanization complement each other. Since the reform and opening up, China's industrialization is indeed following dua1 courses in the urban and rural areas. Urbanization is also a process of building up towns and cities in the rural area and the industrialization and suburbization of cities. The increasing job opportunities created by accelerated industrialization stimulates the movement of rural surplus laborers from a small scale on a bottom up basis to a large scale and forms c1usters in large cities. The urbanization process has passed a long period of slow development and entered into a rapid advanced stage. Since the reform and opening up, the three upgrading of consumption demands has on the one hand stimulated economic growth and enab1es the rapid spread of urban lifestyle in the rural and Urban areas, and on the other hand it attracts huge foreign investment and technologies. The private businesses and specialized market in Zhejiang Province are the paradigm of bottom-up urbanization in China, and the collective economy and the establishment of development zones is a model of urbanization led by the government.
顾朝林. 改革开放以来中国城市化与经济社会发展关系研究[J]. 人文地理, 2004, 19(2): 1-5.
GU Chao-lin. RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA'S URBANIZATION AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SINCE THE REFORM AND OPENING UP. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, 2004, 19(2): 1-5.
