Summary

This detailed study offers a succinct yet comprehensive introduction to China's crucial policy to coordinate urban and rural development. It describes the theoretical, political, and economic reasons why China allowed a large gap between urban and rural incomes, public services, and quality of life to emerge, and the recent national and local government efforts to narrow this inequality.

The authors draw primarily on extensive field research and experience in Chengdu, China's leading pilot region for the policy. They describe and explain Chengdu's governmental, administrative, economic, political, and planning system reforms and their accomplishments in clarifying land use rights, rationalizing industrial zones, modernizing agriculture, implementing regional planning, and equalizing infrastructure and services. Coordinating urban and rural development is one of the most pressing problems facing developing countries today. This book places China's experience in context and explains what other cities in China and throughout the developing world can learn from Chengdu as they develop and urbanize.

This important book will appeal to academics and policymakers interested in urban planning, economics and development in China, Asia, and elsewhere. It will undoubtedly become an indispensable resource for urbanizing countries throughout the world.