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Searching for the Parallel Growth of Cities in China

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  • Zhihong Chen
  • Shihe Fu
  • Dayong Zhang

Abstract

Based on the parallel growth implications of the four urban growth theories (endogenous growth theory, random growth theory, hybrid growth theory and locational fundamentals theory), this paper uses Chinese city size data from 1984 to 2006 and time-series econometric techniques to test for parallel growth. The results from various types of stationarity tests show that city growth is generally random. Conditioning on growth trend and structural change, certain groups of cities with common location-specific characteristics, such as a similar natural resource endowment or policy regime, grow parallel in the long run, suggesting that locational fundamentals may have a persistent impact on city growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhihong Chen & Shihe Fu & Dayong Zhang, 2013. "Searching for the Parallel Growth of Cities in China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(10), pages 2118-2135, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:50:y:2013:i:10:p:2118-2135
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098012470397
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    2. Aurélie Lalanne & Martin Zumpe, 2020. "Time-Series Based Empirical Assessment of Random Urban Growth: New Evidence from France," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 18(4), pages 911-926, December.
    3. Fu, Shihe & Xu, Xiaocong & Zhang, Junfu, 2021. "Land conversion across cities in China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Aurélie, Lalanne & Martin, Zumpe, 2020. "From Gibrat’s law to Zipf’s law through cointegration?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    5. Wu, Jian-Xin & He, Ling-Yun, 2017. "How do Chinese cities grow? A distribution dynamics approach," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 470(C), pages 105-118.
    6. Li Fang & Peng Li & Shunfeng Song, 2017. "China’s development policies and city size distribution: An analysis based on Zipf’s law," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(12), pages 2818-2834, September.
    7. Chengri Ding & Zhi Li, 2019. "Size and urban growth of Chinese cities during the era of transformation toward a market economy," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 46(1), pages 27-46, January.
    8. Aloysius G. Brata & Henri L. F. de Groot & Piet Rietveld, 2014. "The Impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Nias Earthquake on the Spatial Distribution of Population in Northern Sumatra," Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(1), pages 101-121, April.
    9. Kyung-Min Nam, 2017. "Is spatial distribution of China’s population excessively unequal? A cross-country comparison," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(2), pages 453-474, September.
    10. Xin Li & Kyung-Min Nam, 2017. "One country, two “urban” systems: focusing on bimodality in China’s city-size distribution," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(2), pages 427-452, September.
    11. Chao Li & John Gibson, 2016. "Pareto's Law and City Size in China: Diverging Patterns in Land and People," Working Papers in Economics 16/09, University of Waikato.

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