The Definition Problem

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The Definition Problem 

• ReferencesZhang and Li (1998)Tang (1998),
  Urbanization in Fujian, 1949-1993, in Yue-man
  Yeung, ed. Urban Development in Asia. Hong Kong
  Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, The
  Chinese University of Hong Kong, pp. 341-73.

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The Need for a Discussion on this Topic
 

• Understand what the terms urban and cities
  exactly mean in the Chinese context
• Proper interpretation and use of official
  statistics
• More than semantics
• Related to urban policy and development policy in
  general
• Has implications for resource allocation and
  power relations
• Also implications for a persons life chance,
  which is related to Chinas household registry or
  hukou system

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Types of Urban Places

• Cities Zhixiashi (Directly Administered Cities)
• Shenghui (Provincial Capital)
• Dijishi (Prefecture-Level Cities)
• Xiangjishi (County-Level Cities)
•  
• Towns Designated (Official Urban)
• Not-designated (Official Rural)

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Criteria for urban designation

• Administrative status
• Population size
• Economic function industrial and mining
• Hukou ( non-agricultural becoming
  increasingly unrelated to actual occupation)
• Minority areas and special functions
• Population density
• GDP (mid 1980s onward)

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Changes in the designation criteria

• A. General considerations
• Rapid increase in no of designated towns and
  cities in GLF 16 new designated cities in 1958
  20 in 1960 10 in 1961.
• Aftermath of Great Leap Forward More stringent
  criteria. In Fujian, for example, no of
  designated towns dropped from 225 in 1965 to 127
  in 1963 and 98 in 1966 and further to
  approximately 30 in mid 1970s. For the nation,
  no. of designated cities dropped by 41 in the
  period 1962-64.

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• Post-1979 Reform Increasing relaxation of
  standards
• Whole counties converting to county-level cities
• Artificial increase in the urbanization level
  from lt20 to gt50 in a few years time, using TPCT
  figures. In case of Fujian
• Urbanization of the country-side and
  ruralization of the cities (Tang, 1998) Town
  Population/ City Population increases
  tremendously after 1978
• Active implementation of the System of City
  Leading Counties Cities within city

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• B. Other considerations
• Change in city boundaries annexation of huge
  suburban districts
• Increase in temporary population (zhanzhu renkou)
•  
• C. Reasons for the changes
• Economic reasons
• Investment hunger and Cycle of Expansion (and
  contraction resulting from the States attempt to
  alleviate pressure of over-investment) gt cycles
  of re-classification of population and settlement
  (designation and de-designation)

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• Governmentality
• Extending States control to the entire nation
  and down to the grassroot
• Increased recognition of non-state activities
  after 1978
• Changes in social-demographic setting

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Different definitions of urban population

• Total Population of Cities and Towns (TPCT)
  including subsidiary counties Excluding
  subsidiary counties
• Total Non-agricultural Population of Cities and
  Towns (NPCT)

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Chinas urban population and urbanization level

• Different sources give different figures, due to
  the definition problem
• Large in absolute size
• Low in actual level of urbanization Urbanization
  level increased at a very slow pace up to
  mid 1980s
• Tremendous increase since the onset of the
  reform, especially in more recent years
• Latest figure from 2000 Population Census 36.5
• And fluctuated significantly over time

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