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China's Changing Urban Governance in the Transition Towards a More Market-oriented Economy

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  • Fulong Wu

    (Department of Geography, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. F.Wu@soton ac.uk)

Abstract

China's changing urban development processes and urban landscapes in the transition towards a more market-oriented economy have received extensive research attention in recent years. Relatively, the governing of Chinese cities is still underresearched. This article aims to analyse the forces released both inside and outside the formal socialist state system and the impacts on phenomenal restructuring of urban governance, especially at local levels. Marketisation has created new elements beyond the reach of state work-units that represent the state's 'hierarchical' control. The pillars of the socialist governing structure-the party-state, the work-units system and household registration-are shaken by these forces. The changes in the organisation of people, capital, production materials, infrastructure and space fundamentally demand new urban governance. Territorial organisations such as the municipality, urban districts, Street Office and Residents' Committees are reinvented and consolidated to restore a governable society. The devolution towards the base level and the reinvention of local communities reflect the state's attempt to reconsolidate its power to create a governable society as well as to cope with practical pressures such as the provision of social assistance to poor and aged residents, re-employment of laid-off workers and the management of 'floating' immigrants. The combination of new market elements and decentralised state apparatus has given rise to the entrepreneurial endeavour of China's governance. This research highlights the micro-foundation of the new urban governance in addition to the `globalisation-capital mobility—city competitiveness' thesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Fulong Wu, 2002. "China's Changing Urban Governance in the Transition Towards a More Market-oriented Economy," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 39(7), pages 1071-1093, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:39:y:2002:i:7:p:1071-1093
    DOI: 10.1080/00420980220135491
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Schröder Friederike & Waibel Michael, 2012. "Urban governance and informality in China’s Pearl River Delta: Investigating economic restructuring in Guangzhou," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 56(1-2), pages 97-112, October.
    2. Ya Ping Wang & Yanglin Wang & Jiansheng Wu, 2009. "Urbanization and Informal Development in China: Urban Villages in Shenzhen," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 957-973, December.
    3. Loretta Lees, 2011. "Gentrifying the World City," Chapters, in: Ben Derudder & Michael Hoyler & Peter J. Taylor & Frank Witlox (ed.), International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities, chapter 33, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Jiang Xu & Anthony Yeh & Fulong Wu, 2009. "Land Commodification: New Land Development and Politics in China since the Late 1990s," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 890-913, December.
    5. Li Tian, 2014. "Property Rights, Land Values and Urban Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15856.
    6. Wang, Yi & Bramwell, Bill, 2012. "Heritage protection and tourism development priorities in Hangzhou, China: A political economy and governance perspective," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 988-998.
    7. Siu Wai Wong, 2015. "Urbanization as A Process of State Building: Local Governance Reforms in China," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 912-926, September.
    8. Ali Cheshmehzangi, 2018. "The Changing Urban Landscape of Chinese Cities: Positive and Negative Impacts of Urban Design Controls on Contemporary Urban Housing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-21, August.
    9. Fu, Qiang, 2018. "Bringing urban governance back in: Neighborhood conflicts and depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 1-9.

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