The core of urbanization is not investment but reform

Author  :       Source  :    Chinese Social Sciences Today     2013-08-22

<div class=TRS_Editor><p align="justify">The China Urbanization and Entrepreneurs Forum was held in Beijing on August 10th, co-hosted both by the Beijing News and by the Reform and Development Center for Cities and Small Towns of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The participants focused on urgent issues in today’s new-style urbanization, and jointly discussed the opportunities and challenges which the current situation presents.</p><p align="justify">“The core issue of urbanization is reform and not investment” claimed Li Tie, Director of the Reform and Development Center for Cities and Small Towns of NDRC. Li suggested that when we research urbanization issues, the key is the process by which the population shifts to cities and small towns. China’s process of urbanization is different from those which have taken place in all the other countries of the world. For this reason China should not copy foreign modes, expending administrative resources and market resources, but ensure that its urbanization follows a path of moving from quantitative to qualitative growth, and from an extensive economic model to a resource intensive one. Li also added that we should emphasize the “people-oriented” view of development, solve the insufficiencies of public services for the low and middle income and immigrant populations, and seek a low-cost development approach suitable for China’s urbanization.</p><p align="justify">Discussing the industrial problems inherent in the new-style urbanization, Pei Changhong, Director of the Institute of Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, claimed that during the over three decades of reform and opening up, China’s urbanization mode based mainly on industrialization has been successful. However Pei added that at this new historical starting point, in a bid to transform industry, it is necessary to realize agricultural as well as industrial modernization and develop modern services. He opined that the urbanization process should be transformed from one dominated by industrialization to one of coordinated development between different sectors.&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">The Chinese version of this article appeared in<em> Chinese Social Sciences Today</em>, No.487, August 12, 2013</p><p align="justify"><em>　　</em></p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p><p align="right"><em>Translated by</em> Yu Hui</p><p align="right"><em>Revised by</em> Gabriele Corsetti</p><p align="right">&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p><p align="justify">&nbsp;</p></div>

Editor: Chen Meina