Abstract

This book is the final research product of a key project funded by the Chinese Fund for the Humanities and Social Sciences（No. 08 &ZD044）. This book consists of 16 chapters, chapter 1 is a general study on the evolution, accomplishments, and drawbacks of China's urbanization, and offers a profound reflection on the urbanization strategy. Based on this, the scientific basis, connotation and basic features are investigated, and the general thought, mode selection, long-term mechanism and supporting policy system are proposed as well. Chapters 2 to 16 are monographic studies, which deepen and support the general research from various aspects. And appendixes 1 to 10 are policy proposals for the central government.

In this book, authors combine new urbanization and urbanization with Chinese characteristics organically and put forward systematically the thought of taking the road of new urbanization with Chinese characteristics. New urbanization with Chinese characteristics based on national conditions of China conforms to scientific outlook on development, emphasizes human oriented, intensive, intelligent, green and low carbon development, urban-rural integration and synchronization among industrialization, urbanization, informatization and agricultural modernization. It is an important component part of the road to socialism with Chinese characteristics. The basic features of new urbanization with Chinese characteristics are diversification, gradualism, intensification, harmony and sustainability. This book notes that four strategic transformations-from speeding up to slowing down, from seeking quantity to seeking quality, from extensive to intensive, and from urban-rural divided to urban-rural integrated-are happening to the current urbanization of China. In this transformation period, the central government should take diverse modes of urbanization according to different local conditions, carry out polycentric and network development strategy, construct three-level（world level, national level, regional level）urban agglomeration system and four vertical and four horizontal key development axes, promote the formation of scientific and reasonable urbanization spatial pattern, and improve urbanization quality comprehensively.

This book conducts a pioneering and innovative research into the issue of new urbanization with Chinese characteristics, the main work and conclusions are as follows: As urban social and environmental efficiency is integrated into the framework, an analytical framework for urban scale economies consisting of economy, society and environment is established, on the basis of which, the hypothesis of inverted U shape curve of urban scale economies and criteria of urban scale effectiveness are presented, which are empirically tested using the data of cities at the prefectural level and above. Based on urban development quality, urbanization efficiency and urban-rural coordination degree, an assessment indicator system for urbanization quality is constructed, and the urbanization quality of China is assessed comprehensively using the data of 286 cities at the prefectural level and above in 2010. Reviewed from the dynamic perspective, urbanization cost and cities' maintaining cost are distinguished, and both classification and measurement methods were designed and then used to calculate the cost resulting from city's scale expansion and public service supply. An analytical framework for technical innovation effect of urbanization, in which urbanization could promote technical innovation by concentrating factors of production, stimulating effective demand, facilitating spatial diffusion of technology and division of localization, is put forward. Besides, an empirical test for technical innovation effect of China's urbanization is carried out using national time series data and provincial panel data set of 7 regions respectively. Based on the analysis of environmental effect of urbanization, the DME（Drivers Mechanisms Effects）concept model composing of driving force of urbanization, mechanism and environmental effects is constructed and then empirically tested using provincial panel data from 1998 to 2010. From the points of view of urban input, urban output and contrast in urban-rural development, a comprehensive assessment indicator system for intensive urbanization is also constructed, and applied to assess and analyze the intensity of China's urbanization using provincial data of 2001,2006 and 2010.