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Rural Migration and Urbanization in China: Historical Evolution and Coupling Pattern

Author

Listed:
  • Yuanzhi Guo

    (Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
    Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China)

  • Weifeng Qiao

    (School of Geography, Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China)

Abstract

Using a population dataset of China, this study analyzes the spatial pattern of rural migration and urbanization and their coupling coordination relationship and investigates the causes of their spatial heterogeneity. Results show that rural migration and urbanization from 1978 to 2017 can be divided into three stages, i.e., the recovery and development stage, the stable and rapid development stage, and the stage of promoting the citizenization of the rural migrant population. From 2000 to 2010, counties with average annual growth rates of the ratio of rural migration ( GRM ) ranging from 0 to 5.00% showed a spatial pattern of ubiquitous distribution, while there were significant spatial inequalities in the average annual growth rates of the urbanization rate of the residential population ( GUR ) and hukou-registered population ( GUH ). Since urbanization and rural migration are two synergistic processes, coupling coordination degrees ( CCD s) between GRM and GRU as well as GRM and GUH were generally between 0.60 and 0.80. Due to the gaps in socioeconomic development, spatial distance, and the policy system, they also showed regional heterogeneity, and there were notable differences in CCD between rural migration and urbanization of residential and hukou-registered populations. Finally, we propose that China should implement targeted and people-oriented measures to guide rural migration, promote new-type urbanization, and achieve integrated urban–rural development.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuanzhi Guo & Weifeng Qiao, 2020. "Rural Migration and Urbanization in China: Historical Evolution and Coupling Pattern," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7307-:d:409684
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fengrui Jing & Lin Liu & Suhong Zhou & Guangwen Song, 2020. "Examining the Relationship between Hukou Status, Perceived Neighborhood Conditions, and Fear of Crime in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Wei Wu & Prasanna Divigalpitiya, 2022. "Assessment of Accessibility and Activity Intensity to Identify Future Development Priority TODs in Hefei City," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Tianqi Zhang & Yue Zhou & Ming Li & Haoran Zhang & Tong Wang & Yu Tian, 2022. "Impacts of Urbanization on Drainage System Health and Sustainable Drainage Recommendations for Future Scenarios—A Small City Case in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-24, December.
    5. Qian Zhang & Joris Hoekstra, 2020. "Policies towards Migrants in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Region, China: Does Local Hukou Still Matter after the Hukou Reform?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Mingyuan Chang & Longyang Huang & Tianlin Zhai & Jiawei Zhu & Yuanbo Ma & Ling Li & Chenchen Zhao, 2023. "A Challenge of Sustainable Urbanization: Mapping the Equity of Urban Public Facilities in Multiple Dimensions in Zhengzhou, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, August.
    7. Hongzhang Xu & Jamie Pittock & Katherine A. Daniell, 2021. "China: A New Trajectory Prioritizing Rural Rather Than Urban Development?," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-29, May.

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