•The focus of published narrative on the great Chinese urbanization wave was always going to sharpen _ away from the general fascination, assertions, theories and commentaries to specific issues and specific regions. Well here is a first class example

In the last 30 years, China’s record economic growth lifted half a billion people out of poverty, with rapid urbanization providing abundant labor, cheap land, and good infrastructure. While China has avoided some of the common ills of urbanization, strains are showing as inefficient land development leads to urban sprawl and ghost towns, pollution threatens people’s health, and farmland and water resources are becoming scarce. With China’s urban population projected to rise to about one billion – or close to 70 percent of the country’s population – by 2030, China’s leaders are seeking a more coordinated urbanization process. Urban China is a joint research report by a team from the World Bank and the Development Research Center of China’s State Council which was established to address the challenges and opportunities of urbanization in China and to help China forge a new model of urbanization. The report takes as its point of departure the conviction that China's urbanization can become more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable. However, it stresses that achieving this vision will require strong support from both government and the markets for policy reforms in a number of area. The report proposes six main areas for reform: first, amending land management institutions to foster more efficient land use, denser cities, modernized agriculture, and more equitable wealth distribution; second, adjusting the hukou household registration system to increase labor mobility and provide urban migrant workers equal access to a common standard of public services; third, placing urban finances on a more sustainable footing while fostering financial discipline among local governments; fourth, improving urban planning to enhance connectivity and encourage scale and agglomeration economies; fifth, reducing environmental pressures through more efficient resource management; and sixth, improving governance at the local level.

The theme of this book is the ecological development of Zhejiang province under the guidance of “China Dream” policy. It reviews the policy and strategy for environmental protection and transition from the extensive economic growth model to ecological economy. The author explores ecological theories and practices in areas such as traditional culture, economic development, environmental protection, rural reconstruction, green urban development and the ecological civilization system in Zhejiang. As Zhejiang is one of the first economically well-off regions in China, the challenges faced by the government and its solutions under the guidance of the statecraft shall be of interest to scholars and policy makers worldwide.

The book embarks on the tasks to systematically analyze the macro background of the spatial patterns of China’s urban development, the theoretical foundations and framework, and its changing trajectory. From a quantitative perspective, we attempt to evaluate the rationale behind the spatial patterns of China’s urban development and systematically simulate the various scenarios. From the simulation results, we propose the optimizing goals, priorities, models, and strategies for the spatial patterns of China’s urban development. The work in this book attempts to provide constructive suggestions and potential strategies to support the effort to optimize the spatial patterns of China’s urban development. It would be a valuable reference for planning departments, development and reform committees, and science and technology administrative departments at various governmental levels. It could also be a valuable addition to graduate students of urban planning, urban development, urban geography and relevant disciplines.