Regional Disparities in China

This article is an attempt to define the dimensions and spatial patterns of regional disparities in China, to interpret their origins, and to speculate about their likely evolution. If reform in China is to be guided by efficiency considerations, changes in the incentive system must be supplemented by coherent proposals related to organizations, assets, and external linkages. The systematic nature of the reform process must be recognized, and the need for broader approaches to conceptualizing system change and transition are needed.