Recent Increase in Chinese Urbanization

Recent evidence indicates a faster growth in level of urbanization than population in China during the last 35 years, despite some years during the 1960s when urban population experienced an absolute decline. Official estimates show an increase in the level of urbanization from 10.7% (1949) to 23.5% (1983). Changing policies have led to adjustments in the definitions of city, town, and urban population as well as the official statistics. There appears to be a continuing internal debate over these definitions and numbers as well as over the broad strategy of urbanization in economic development and the role of metropolis, city, and town in such a strategy. Regional differences in level of urbanization were identified, with the highest levels found in the three national municipalities—Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin—as well as the three northeastern provinces—Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. Analysis of different variables indicated level of commercialization of agriculture as measured by the per capita value of agricultural output explained best the regional level of urbanization. Continued increase in the level of urbanization in China is anticipated in step with the overall economic growth and development that has occurred with recent policy shifts and economic reforms.