Empirical Analysis of the Rationality of China’s Urbanization Level on National and Regional Levels

Abstract

China’s rapid urbanization has generated substantial attention throughout the world. There are various studies that assess China’s urbanization process but without consistent conclusions. This paper attempts to evaluate China’s urbanization level based both on global urban development experience and on urbanization theories; in addition, it adopts the quadrant plots method to assess China’s regional urbanization level. The results of this study show that China’s urbanization rate is proceeding at a normal level that is consistent with Northam Curve Growth Theory, the Lewis’s Migration Theory, Chenery’s Theory of Normal Growth, and also with China’s economic development stage. However, certain problems and challenges remain to be examined, such as the low-level coordination between China’s urbanization and nonagricultural employment and the narrow difference between urbanization rate and industrialization level. In general, most of the eastern provinces show a high coordination between urbanization and economic development, whereas all the provinces with low coordination, both low urbanization rate and economic development levels, are located in central and western China. These results not only advance the previous literature but also deserve particular attention from Chinese policymakers. Local governments should pay close attention to the urbanization quality, the urban planning support systems, and the upgrading of industry structure while not focusing too much on the urbanization quantity.