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Foreign Direct Investment and the Formation of Global City-Regions in China

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  • Simon Zhao
  • L. Zhang

Abstract

Zhao S. X. B. and Zhang L. (2007) Foreign Direct Investment and the formation of global city-regions in China, Regional Studies 41, 979-994. FDI inflows have redrawn the map of China's geo-economy, reinforcing spatial clustering of economy. Currently, certain Chinese urbanized regions along the Pacific coast, notably the Pearl River Delta region (PRD) in South China, the Yangtze River Delta region (YRD) in Southeast China and the Bohai Rim region (BRR) in North China, have become the agglomerative centres for a variety of the Fordist-style of manufacturing operation. As a strong outward linkage is the major engine of growth in those extended metropolitan regions, they are often labelled as global city-regions. This paper attempts to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the questions about how global city-regions have come into being and what processes have interacted to produce global city-regions in China, focusing on the period shortly before and after China's accession into the WTO. After reviewing the extant theoretical perspectives, this paper attempts to construct the trajectory of Chinese global city-region growth based mainly on empirically derived knowledge on FDI in China with investigation on both external and internal dynamics. Zhao S. X. B. et Zhang L. (2007) L'investissement direct etranger et l'etablissement de cites-regions mondiales en Chine, Regional Studies 41, 979-994. L'afflux d'IDE a redessine la carte geo-economique de la Chine, renforcant l'agglomeration geographique de son economie. A l'heure qu'il est, certaines regions urbanisees de la Chine situees le long de la cote du Pacifique, notamment la region du Pearl River Delta (PRD) dans la Chine du Sud, la region du Yangtze River Delta (YRD) dans la Chine du Sud-Est, et la region de la Bohai Rim (BRR) dans la Chine du Nord, sont devenues les centres d'agglomeration pour toute une serie d'activites industrielles du type fordiste. Etant donne que des liens externes s'averent la force motrice de la croissance dans ces zones metropolitaines etendues, ces dernieres sont souvent classees comme cites-regions mondiales. Cet article cherche a fournir une explication plus detaillee des origines des cites-regions mondiales et des actions reciproques qui ont vu naitre les cites-regions en Chine, portant sur la periode juste avant et apres l'adhesion de la Chine a l'OMC. Apres avoir fait la critique des apercus theoriques existants, on cherche a dessiner le chemin de la croissance des cites-regions en Chine, principalement a partir des connaissances empiriques a propos de l'IDE en Chine, tout en examinat a la fois les dynamiques externe et interne. IDE Cites-regions mondiales OMC Chine Zhao S. X. B. und Zhang L. (2007) Auslandische Direktinvestitionen und die Entstehung globaler Stadtregionen in China, Regional Studies 41, 979-994. Durch den Zufluss von auslandischen Direktinvestitionen hat sich das Bild der chinesischen Geookonomie gewandelt und die raumliche Clusterbildung in der Wirtschaft verstarkt. Heute sind in China bestimmte urbanisierte Regionen entlang der Pazifikkuste zu agglomerativen Zentren fur die verschiedensten produzierenden Betriebe im fordistischen Stil geworden, insbesondere die Region des Pearl River Delta in Sudchina, die Region des Yangtze River Delta in Sudostchina und die Bohai-Rim-Region in Nordchina. Da starke Verbindungen nach aussen in diesen erweiterten metropolitanen Regionen der wichtigste Wachstumsmotor sind, werden diese Regionen oft als globale Stadtregionen bezeichnet. In diesem Beitrag wird versucht, eine umfassendere Erklarung fur die Fragen zu liefern, wie globale Stadtregionen entstanden sind und welche Wechselwirkungen von Ablaufen in China globale Stadtregionen hervorgebracht haben. Hierbei konzentrieren wir uns auf den Zeitraum unmittelbar vor und nach der Aufnahme von China in die WTO. Nach einer Uberprufung der bestehenden theoretischen Perspektiven versuchen wir, den Werdegang des Wachstums der globalen Stadtregionen von China zu rekonstruieren, wobei wir uns in erster Linie auf empirisch gewonnene Informationen uber auslandische Direktinvestitionen in China stutzen und sowohl externe als auch interne Dynamiken untersuchen. Auslandische Direktinvestitionen Globale Stadtregionen WTO China Zhao S. X. B. y Zhang L. (2007) Inversion directa extranjera y la creacion de ciudades region globales en China, Regional Studies 41, 979-994. Las entradas de IDE han modificado el mapa geoeconomico de China reforzando la aglomeracion espacial de la economia. Algunas regiones chinas urbanizadas hoy dia en la costa del Pacifico, especialmente al sur en el delta del rio Pearl, al sureste en el delta del rio Yangtze y al norte en la region Bohai Rim, se han convertido en los centros de aglomeracion para toda una serie de actividades manufactureras al estilo Fordista. Puesto que un solido vinculo externo representa el principal motor de crecimiento en estas regiones metropolitanas ampliadas, las regiones con frecuencia se denominan ciudades region globales. La finalidad de este ensayo es explicar de un modo mas exhaustivo el por que y como estas regiones se han convertido en ciudades region globales en China y que procesos han sido determinantes para este desarrollo, poniendose especial enfasis en el periodo poco antes y despues de la entrada de China en la OMC. Tras revisar las perspectivas teoricas actuales, intentamos analizar la trayectoria del crecimiento en China de las ciudades region globales basada principalmente en conocimientos derivados sobre la IDE investigando las dinamicas tanto externas como internas. IDE Ciudades region globales OMC China

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Zhao & L. Zhang, 2007. "Foreign Direct Investment and the Formation of Global City-Regions in China," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(7), pages 979-994.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:41:y:2007:i:7:p:979-994
    DOI: 10.1080/00343400701281634
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Scott, Allen J. (ed.), 2001. "Global City-Regions: Trends, Theory, Policy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198297994.
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    1. Simon X. B. Zhao & David W. H. Wong & David W. S. Wong & Y. P. Jiang, 2020. "Ever‐transient FDI and ever‐polarizing regional development: Revisiting conventional theories of regional development in the context of China, Southeast and South Asia," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 338-361, March.
    2. Bo Liu & Desheng Xue & Yiming Tan, 2019. "Deciphering the Manufacturing Production Space in Global City-Regions of Developing Countries—a Case of Pearl River Delta, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-26, December.
    3. Zhihua Xu & Anthony Yeh, 2013. "Origin Effects, Spatial Dynamics and Redistribution of FDI In Guangdong, China," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 104(4), pages 439-455, September.
    4. Frederick van der Ploeg & Steven Poelhekke, 2008. "Globalization and the rise of mega-cities in the developing world," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 1(3), pages 477-501.
    5. Xiaowen Li & Yiming Tan & Desheng Xue, 2022. "From World Factory to Global City-Region: The Dynamics of Manufacturing in the Pearl River Delta and Its Spatial Pattern in the 21st Century," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Diogo Lopes & Joana Ferreira & Ka In Hoi & Ka-Veng Yuen & Kai Meng Mok & Ana I. Miranda, 2021. "Emission Inventories and Particulate Matter Air Quality Modeling over the Pearl River Delta Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-15, April.
    7. Metaxas, Theodore & Kechagia, Polyxeni, 2012. "F.D.I. through the imitation procedure The case of China: A Note," MPRA Paper 40886, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Jiaoe Wang & Haoran Yang & Han Wang, 2019. "The Evolution of China’s International Aviation Markets from a Policy Perspective on Air Passenger Flows," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-15, June.
    9. Tsu Lung Chou & Chia-Ho Ching & Shu-min Fan & Jung-Ying Chang, 2011. "Global Linkages, the Chinese High-tech Community and Industrial Cluster Development," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(14), pages 3019-3042, November.
    10. Peixin Li & Lixia Li & Yichun Xie & Xueliang Zhang, 2021. "Investigating the effects of market segmentation on firm survival and their heterogeneities in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2614-2634, December.
    11. Bo Liu & Desheng Xue & Sijun Zheng, 2023. "Evolution and Influencing Factors of Manufacturing Production Space in the Pearl River Delta—Based on the Perspective of Global City-Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-22, February.
    12. Zeyun Li & Sharifah Rohayah Sheikh Dawood, 2016. "World City Network in China: A Network Analysis of Air Transportation Network," Modern Applied Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 10(10), pages 213-213, October.
    13. Li Zhang & Li Tao, 2012. "Barriers to the Acquisition of Urban Hukou in Chinese Cities," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(12), pages 2883-2900, December.
    14. Katiuscia Vaccarini, 2014. "Psychic distance and FDI: the case of China," Working Papers 1403, c.MET-05 - Centro Interuniversitario di Economia Applicata alle Politiche per L'industria, lo Sviluppo locale e l'Internazionalizzazione.
    15. Shenjing He & Junxi Qian, 2017. "From an emerging market to a multifaceted urban society: Urban China studies," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(4), pages 827-846, March.
    16. Eduardo Jimenez‐Moro & Panagiotis Piperopoulos & Mario Kafouros & Alan Au Kai Ming, 2023. "Innovation dynamics and club convergence in innovation activity in China: A temporal perspective," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(4), pages 791-816, August.
    17. Allen, Matthew M.C. & Demirbag, Mehmet & Allen, Maria L. & Bhankaraully, Shabneez & Wood, Geoff, 2024. "Multinational enterprises' R&D commitments in Chinese provinces: A configurational approach," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    18. Robert Huggins & Shougui Luo & Piers Thompson, 2014. "The competitiveness of China's Leading Regions: Benchmarking Their Knowledge-based Economies," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(3), pages 241-267, July.
    19. Ilwon Seo, 2019. "Regions’ Technology Brokerage Patterns and Dynamics for Regional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, May.
    20. 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.
    21. Zhang Weiyang & Derudder Ben, 2016. "Approximating actual flows in physical infrastructure networks: the case of the Yangtze River Delta high-speed railway network," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 31(31), pages 145-160, March.

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    Keywords

    FDI; Global city-regions; WTO; China;
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