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The high-speed rail (HSR) is one of the most important, if not the most important, emerging transportation that could exert significant influences in many areas, including economic development, social development, financial development, environmental protection, etc. This paper focuses on examining the impacts of HSR on the development of the industrial structure. Since most of the studies in this area are related to central cities (provincial capitals and municipalities directly under the central government), to fill in the gap in the literature, in this paper, we investigate the impacts of HSR on non-central cities in China. To do so, we use the propensity score matching difference-in-difference (PSM-DID) method to investigate the siphoning, spillover, and moderating effects of the opening of the HSR on the development of the industrial structure in the cities along with or nearby the HSR. In addition, we conclude both the robustness tests and the heterogeneity analysis in our study. We find that the opening of HSR significantly promotes the rationalization of non-central cities' industrial structure, as well as improves the advancement of the industrial structure for non-central cities which are less than 100 km away from the central city. Moreover, the four moderating variables, the urban innovation index, the new urbanization construction level, the nearest distance from the central city, and the medical services insurance coverage rate, make the HSR has a positive impact on the rationalization level of industrial structure. Our findings are useful for both central and local governments and policymakers in accurately formulating policies related to the planning and construction of HSR, city planning, and planning the development of the industrial structure for each city nearby the HSR. • Investigate the impacts of HSR on industrial developments for non-central cities. • Propose five hypotheses in terms of the siphoning, spillover and moderating effects. • Construct econometric models and conduct empirical studies to prove the newly proposed hypotheses are correct. • Provide policy suggestions for both central and local governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has witnessed 556 million people migrating to urban areas over the past three decades with the process of urbanization, which has brought enormous pressure on electricity consumption and urban sustainable development. This paper establishes the generalized Divisia Index Decomposition Method (GDIM) model, and aims to reveal the electricity consumption mechanism of urban residents in China between 2000 and 2018. The results show that residential income, per capita electricity consumption and residential appliances are the main driving factors for the growth of urban residential electricity consumption, while the energy-saving willingness and expenditure structure have the inhibiting effect. With the expansion of urban residential income, the increase in income and air-conditioning numbers will continue to promote the growth of urban residential electricity consumption. Then, this paper puts forward relevant suggestions to alleviate the pressure of electricity demand and sustainable development from urban residents in China. [Display omitted] • The growth of power consumption in residential sector mainly comes from urban areas. • Establish GDIM model to decompose urban residential electricity consumption in China • Income has the greatest driving effect on urban residential electricity consumption. • Air-conditioning is the main source of the effect of household appliances. • Energy-saving willingness inhibits urban residential electricity consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of China's high-quality economic growth with total factor productivity (abbreviated as TFP) growth as a key driver, this study attempts to integrate heterogeneous industrial agglomeration, innovation agglomeration, and institutional distance into the theoretical analysis framework of urban green total factor productivity (abbreviated as GTFP). The impact and effect of industrial agglomeration on urban GTFP growth, and the moderating role of innovation agglomeration and institutional distance in the above effects are examined empirically. The findings indicate a significant inverted "U" relationship between the three types of industrial agglomeration and urban GTFP growth. From the critical values, the three types of industrial agglomeration do not cross the critical value on the whole, showing the promoting effect on the growth of urban GTFP. Under the different types of city divisions (small, medium and large cities, east-central-west cities, and north-south cities), the effect of the three types of industrial agglomeration on GTFP growth in different types of cities has typical heterogeneity. Innovation agglomeration and institutional distance play a positive regulatory role in the impact of industrial agglomeration on the growth of urban GTFP. It is further found that innovation agglomeration plays a threshold role in the impact of industrial agglomeration on urban GTFP, i.e., the positive contribution effect of three types of industrial agglomeration on urban GTFP growth gradually increases with the increase of urban innovation agglomeration. This paper introduces the research results of industrial agglomeration on urban GTFP and provides policy implications for improving GTFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decentralization has always been considered the reason local governments in China lack incentives for green development. Whether conferring honorary titles can motivate the competition mode of local governments to shift to low-carbon sustainable development is a scientific problem worth studying. In this paper, the civilized city policy is taken as a quasi-experiment, and its effect is evaluated using the method of difference-in-differences. The results show that civilized city policy can effectively promote the improvement of green total factor carbon efficiency. The mechanism is that the policy encourages local governments to mobilize multiple actors to participate in green development practices including strengthening local governments' environmental control, promoting the technological innovation of enterprises, and increasing public participation in environmental affairs. Heterogeneity analysis of local government incentives shows that the civilized city policy is more effective in cities where local officials are less than 54 years old and the city GDP growth rate is midstream in the province. The study confirms that awarding honorary titles to cities in China can effectively guide local governments toward a sustainable development model and provides new ideas for other countries in the world to use local policies to address global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key cities represent the strongest competitiveness level of each province and city. At present, the problem of unbalanced development level of key cities in China is more prominent. Improving urban competitiveness has become an urgent problem for urban governments. In order to study the competitiveness of 35 key cities in China, this paper formulates a total of 27 indicators from the five levels of economic development, social undertakings, public infrastructure, ecological environment and technological innovation, and uses measurement software to draw the advantages and disadvantages of relevant urban development. The results show that the top cities in the comprehensive competitiveness of 35 key cities in China include Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and the differences among key cities are more prominent in all dimensions. The relative level of competitiveness development of key cities corresponds to the level of regional economic development and technological innovation to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Five research dimensions of urban resilience is measured by using the entropy value method. • Rationalization and upgrading of industrial structure can promote urban resilience. • The rationalization of industrial structure is better than the upgrading of urban resilience. • Rationalization and upgrading of industrial structure have a lag effect on economic resilience. The advancement of industrialization and urbanization in China brings many challenges to urban management. Studying the relationship between industrial structure transformation and urban resilience has received increasing attention from scholars. In this paper, 110 prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2010 to 2019 are used as samples. First, five research dimensions of urban resilience research are identified, and these are economic resilience, social resilience, environmental resilience, infrastructure resilience, and institutional resilience. Urban resilience is measured by using the entropy value method. Secondly, how industrial structural transformation affects urban resilience is investigated. It is discovered that the effect of industrial structure rationalization (TL) is better than industrial structure upgrading (TS) in promoting the improvement of urban resilience, but there is a delay between the two for economic resilience. Nevertheless, both TL and TS can promote the improvement of urban resilience. This paper focuses on the relationship between industrial structure and urban resilience and then contributes to the transformation of industrial structure and the future urban resilience of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban regeneration in the historic core of Chinese cities largely follows one of two possibilities – 'demolition-reconstruction,' by tearing down old houses to make room for new development, and 'frozen protection,' designating no-growth areas around certain historical sites and neighborhoods. While these approaches have the potential to preserve recognized cultural values, they can lead to fragmented and uneven built environments as well as limited historic preservation and infrastructure development achievements. In this paper, we discuss the institutional constraints faced by the transformation of regeneration approaches using the cases of Shanghai's historic Old Town area and propose a theoretical framework for analyzing the 'structure-discourse-tools' interactions in the urban regeneration dilemma from the lens of sociological institutionalism. Our analysis reveals that discourse plays the role of problem framing through the operation of the power structure, while institutional tools are responsible for materializing the discourse. We argue that innovative approaches in urban regeneration should step outside of the conventional 'control' and 'design' tools but seek a more inclusive governance structure that prioritizes and materializes new discourse. Our study provides a transferable theoretical framework for better understanding complexity and institutional dilemma in global urban regeneration cases and guiding creative transformation in historical area's regeneration projects. • This paper proposes a theoretical framework to explore the combined relationships among institutional arrangements. • The governance transformation depends on the overall transformation of the power structure, tools, and discourse. • Land, planning, and administration institutions are compatible and constitute the routine approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of intercity network structure from the perspective of flow space can effectively reveal the connection patterns, hierarchical laws, and spatial organization of cities. However, current studies mostly focus on a single real or virtual space, neglecting the comprehensive perspective. Furthermore, the research subject of network relationships is usually the complex original aligned network rather than the spatially cohesive network structure. In this study, spatial network structures are constructed and extracted based on the migration flow and attention flow, which represent people's objective behavior and subjective will, respectively. This study then reveals the association between virtual and real networks from three aspects: node location, node attributes, and local network structure characteristics. Results indicate that compared with the real network structure, the virtual network structure has a strong same-level node agglomeration and a significant node size difference. Spatial dislocations are observed in the high association of the various measures of China's real and virtual network structures. The degree of differences in network structures between virtual and real spaces varies spatially. This paper reveals the dynamics of urban development in different spaces, helping build a human-centered, high-quality space governance system for virtual and real spaces. • Spatial network structure considering the geographical proximity and interaction strength among cities is extracted. • Location, attribution, and structure-based association analysis method for non-aligned intercity networks is proposed. • The degree of differences in network structures between virtual and real spaces varies spatially. • The association pattern between real and virtual networks is spatially dislocated in different indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's urban and rural landscape has been undergoing tremendous changes since the introduction of the Chinese version of Transferable Development Rights programme, known as the "Link Policy", which calls for rural resettlement and land consolidation for farmland preservation and urban development. Aiming to examine the influence of the Link Policy on urban growth, this paper used Ezhou located in central China as the case study and modelled urban growth scenarios before and after the policy implementation with the development of a Logistic-Markov-CA model. The established model shows sufficient accuracy in modelling the urban growth pattern under the Link Policy and justified that new expansion of urban areas appeared on the planned new towns and industrial parks after the policy implementation instead of the growth of original sites prior to the Link Policy. Additionally, with the analysis of modelling results and the understanding of Ezhou urban developments before and after the Link Policy implementation, policy implications are provided for future Ezhou development. • This paper introduced contemporary China's Transferable Development Right programme – the Link Policy in its rapid urbanisation process. • A Logistic-Markov-CA model was developed and modelled urban growth before and after the Link Policy implementation. • The established model shows sufficient accuracy in modelling the urban growth pattern and revealed the key features of urban growth in different scenarios. • Current urban growth issues under the Link Policy were revealed and policy suggestions were offered for future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's accelerating urban growth over the past decade has been examined from the perspectives of state devolution or place-making initiatives. Relatively little has been written to contextualize the burgeoning urbanism in China's reform and the resultant changing relationship between state and market. Through an investigation of fiscal and land use reforms since the mid-1990s, this paper argues that China's gradual and partial reform has fundamentally re-engineered local states from inward-looking market actors running business to entrepreneurial market governors controlling land supply. Though this transition has triggered urban growth by levering manufacturing and real estate capital, it has also introduced constraints for future urban development by generating inter-regional tensions and making further reforms politically difficult. This paper concludes that sustainable urbanism requires a more clearly oriented and more holistic reform framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urban ecological resilience (UER) was evaluated in a three-stage framework. • Four-quadrant model was constructed to analyze the relationship of urbanization-UER. • Urbanization continuously coordinated with UER in NSEBTM from 2005 to 2020. • CUL-lagging city faced more pressure of coordination than UER-lagging city. Revealing the relationship between urbanization and urban ecological resilience (UER) is essential for high-quality urbanization and urban ecosystem sustainability. In this study, we evaluated the comprehensive urbanization level (CUL) and UER in the Northern Slope Economic Belt of Tianshan Mountains (NSEBTM), and analyzed the relationship evolution between CUL and UER using the Pearson correlation analysis, four-quadrant model and Markov transition matrix. The results showed that the overall CUL and UER in the NSEBTM gradually increased from 2005 to 2020 while presenting significant spatial heterogeneity. The distribution of CUL displayed a decrease from middle to both sides, and the UER in the western area was generally higher than that in the central and eastern areas. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between CUL and UER, with the number of double-high cities increasing whereas the number of double-low cities decreasing during the research period. Compared with the UER-lagging cities, the CUL-lagging cities faced more pressure to upgrade and develop the two systems coordinately. This paper provides a useful reference for analyzing the man-land relationship in arid regions and contributes to urban sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization has developed, a variety of urban clusters have gradually emerged with important effects on regional economic growth and carbon emissions. This paper constructs a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) model for testing how urban cluster synergistic development policy (UCSDP) affects urban carbon productivity in 148 cities of China with 13 urban clusters as the experimental group from 2003 to 2019. According to the results, the UCSDP improves carbon productivity, mainly via reducing energy intensity. In addition, UCSDP improves carbon productivity by adjusting energy structure, increasing green innovation, altering city greening levels, and accelerating the process of urbanization. Moreover, it can produce synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level, and urbanization level. Furthermore, the UCSDP has heterogeneous effects on the carbon productivity in various cities. Specifically, the carbon productivity of high-status, high-rank, and resource-based cities responds more significantly to UCSDP. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen the integration of urban clusters, offer targeted development suggestions for different cities, modify the energy and greening structure, accelerate the process of urbanization, and focus on the formulation of reasonable environmental regulation policies. • Exploring the impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity with multi-period DID model. • The improvement of carbon productivity by UCSDP mainly comes from the decrease of energy intensity. • UCSDP increases carbon productivity by affecting energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • UCSDP produces synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • The impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity varies by city status, city rank and city type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial agglomeration and public services play a vital role in urban expansion. However, from a spatial perspective, the interaction between industrial agglomeration, public services and urban scale is unclear. Based on spatial autocorrelation model and spatial econometric model, this study analyses the effects of industrial agglomeration and public services on urban scale using data from 286 Chinese cities during 2014–2018. The results are as follows: (1) Local industrial agglomeration can attract the labour force and has a negative spatial spillover effect on surrounding cities; (2) public services contribute to the expansion of local cities' scale and have a positive spatial spillover effect; (3) industrial agglomeration and public services play a coordinated and complementary role in expanding the size of cities This study has the following policy implications: (i) Local governments should combine their resources to develop industries and coordinate industrial development in cities; and (ii) governments should increase expenditures on public services and optimize public services by utilizing social capital. These policy implications can help developing countries expand the scale of cities and promote urbanization. • Industrial agglomeration and public services play a vital role in urban expansion. • However, from a spatial perspective, the interaction between industrial agglomeration, public services and urban scale is unclear. • This study aims to analyse the effects of industrial agglomeration and public services on urban scale based on data from 286 cities from 2014 to 2018. • Industrial agglomeration and public services play a vital role in urban expansion. However, from a spatial perspective, the interaction between industrial agglomeration, public services and urban scale is unclear. Research methods and policy implications are the highlights of this paper. • These policy implications can help developing countries expand the scale of cities and promote urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-density mixed-use old neighborhoods are replaced by large-scale urban complexes in China. • Local climate and ventilation capacity of three mixed-use open neighborhood types were examined. • Urban complex presented the strongest heat island effect but the best ventilation capacity. • Organic old neighborhoods exhibited stagnant wind environment but weaker heat island effect. • Findings support critique of deficiency in adopting homogenous urban renewal planning paradigm. In the context of today's global climate change and dramatic urban transformation, urban researchers, planners, architects, and policy-makers have recognized the value of following a mixed-use and open-oriented mode of urban development. In China, the prevailing option for urban renewal is the Urban Complex pattern, which features a mixed functional composition. However, due to its attributes of overall low urban walkability and high energy consumption, such super urban massing may not inspire an environmentally-friendly consequence or a healthy urban lifestyle among residents. This study adds an environmental dimension to the current debates on "sustainable urban form" and "inclusive and resilient neighborhood typology." Based on an in-depth survey of the social and morphological characteristics of three representative mixed-use open urban neighborhoods (MOUN) in Shenzhen, this paper examines local-scale urban climate and canyon ventilation capacity performances of the following via on-site measurement: typical urban village (MOUN-Type I), mature open urban neighborhood (MOUN-Type II), and newly-built urban complex (MOUN-Type III). The results reveal that each MOUN type presents its merits and specific environmental problems, and their co-existence within cities can balance deficiencies in an inter-supplementary manner. The paper argues that urban (re)development should follow a multi-path and multi-consequence orientation, in which cities require the co-existence and collaboration of diverse neighborhood types to ensure a more efficient urban operation that strengthens urban adaptability. Even just from an environmental perspective, planners and policy-makers should carefully consider the specificity , continuity , and identity of each urban area situated within cities. Findings of this research provide insights into attaining "human-environment balance" in the process of establishing various planning models for urban sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Transit Oriented Development (TOD), the integration of transport system with land use, has gained considerate priorities in planning strategies towards urban sustainability. To accrue a better overall leverage of the benefits arising from TOD practice, it is necessary to explore the variations and typology among TODs. This paper extends the classic 'node (transport) – place (land use)' model by incorporating the oriented characteristics that represent the morphological and functional ties between transport and land use. The model is applied to the case of Shanghai, China. Fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) is used to construct the indicators system of each dimension (node, tie and place) in the model and typology among TODs is divided by SOM (self-organizing map). We find that the TOD index value declines from the urban center to the outskirts of the city obviously. Four typologies are identified among TODs, including the Integrated (all high node, tie and place index value), the Functionally place-developed (low node index value and high tie and place index value), the Morphologically node-developed (high node index value and low tie and place index value) and the Dispersed (all low node, tie and place index value). Based on the evaluation, we put forward an optimization plan for the areas with low TOD index values, which are consistent with the planned lines under construction. All the methods demonstrated in this study are easy to perform and can be widely applied to the assessment of TOD typologies worldwide. This study produces some generalized knowledge that are useful for implementing TOD practice within land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstracts Social impacts have become increasingly important for urban development in China. In addition, unlike general construction projects, construction projects in high-density urban areas have high levels of complexity and uncertainty. Thus, from a network perspective, an improved social risk analysis theory and a method for these projects were generated in this paper. A case study involving 66 cases of social conflicts in construction projects in China was performed, and 16 social risk factors were summarized. Eight stakeholders related to these social risk factors were then identified based on a literature review and the case database. A theoretical model for social risk network analysis considering the interrelationships between stakeholders and risks was developed by using NetMiner, a social network analysis (SNA) tool. A 2-mode network and two 1-mode networks were used to analyze the relationships among the identified 16 social risk factors and 8 stakeholders. In terms of three-level challenges such as complex environments, the unreasonable behavior of individuals or organizations, and diversified interaction between behaviors and environments, the most important social risks of construction projects in high-density urban areas were explored to help the government implement effective social risk management measures. In addition, multiple, complicated relationships among residents, contractors, governmental authorities, and owners represented a major factor leading to social risk; therefore, more attention should be focused on this topic. The proposed social risk analysis method can increase the attention paid by project managers, governmental authorities, and project owners to social risk factors in high-density areas and provide a structured framework to analyze such social risks, as well as put forth possible solutions to reduce the social impacts on construction projects in high-density urban areas. Highlights • 16 social risks for construction projects in high-density urban areas are identified. • A model for social risk and interrelationships network analysis is developed. • Social risks is highly related to complex environments and unreasonable behavior. • Multiple and complicated relationships among stakeholders lead to social risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2019, we took the opening of high-speed railways (HSRs) as the "quasi-natural test" and employed propensity score matching (PSM)-difference in difference (DID) method to empirically test the agglomeration effect of the opening of HSRs on the urban logistics industry and the heterogeneity of cities according to location types and urban grade classification. The results show that the opening of HSRs has an impact on the spatial layout of logistics industry by promoting urban economic growth and gathering labor. In the dynamic balance of agglomeration and diffusion, the logistics industry gradually spreads to the surrounding areas of the city through the opening of HSRs. The opening of HSRs has a heterogeneous impact on the agglomeration effect of urban logistics industry. For the rapidly developing first-tier, second-tier and third-tier cities, the opening of HSRs has a significant impact on the agglomeration of their logistics industry and promotes its diffusion to those surrounding cities. On this basis, this paper puts forward corresponding suggestions for the development of the logistics industry and tries to make full use of the development opportunity brought by the opening of HSRs to promote the development of the logistics industry. • The agglomeration effect of HSRs opening on logistics industry is tested by PSM-DID method. • The panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities in China is used in empirical research. • The heterogeneity is discussed according to the location and class of cities. • HSRs impact the agglomeration and diffusion of logistics industry greatly. • Implications are provided to develop the logistics industry and to make full use of the HSRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper aims to investigate the impacts of the Link Policy on China's rural restructuring. • The Link Policy was comprehensively introduced through a systematic review of the literature. • The impacts of the Link Policy on rural restructuring were investigated based on the analysis of feedbacks from rural residents in Ezhou. • Policy recommendations are provided to mitigate the impacts of the Link Policy on farmers' rural lives. Rapid urbanisation in China leads to a dramatic urban expansion and farmland-to-construction land conversion. Aiming to address the tough issue of preserving farmland for food security while providing space for urban development, the central government proposed an innovative top-down land use policy termed "Link the increase in urban construction land with the decrease in rural construction land" (The Link Policy), which calls for land exchanges in urban and rural areas through centralised resettlement and land consolidation. The implementation of the Link Policy has significantly changed urban and rural landscape while also had profound impacts on China's rural restructuring process. This paper aims to investigate the impacts of the Link Policy implementation on rural restructuring from the perspective of rural residents. To provide Chines a holistic understanding of the policy impacts particularly for the international readers, Link Policy, as an innovative top-down land use policy in China, was first introduced comprehensively through a systematic review of the literature regarding the policy background, progress, typical practice models and the issues that emerged from previous implementation. A case study of Ezhou city in central China was followed to investigate the impacts of the Link Policy on rural restructuring based on the analysis of the feedbacks from rural residents. The results indicate that the implementation of the Link Policy accelerated the rural restructuring process in the way of economic restructuring, spatial restructuring, and social restructuring. Moreover, the related issues that appeared have also been identified and policy recommendations are provided to mitigate the impacts of the Link Policy on farmers' rural lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy consumed by urban transportation systems has implications for local environmental protection and greenhouse gas emission reductions. It is widely claimed that in growing cities, individuals' transport energy use could be made more efficient by planning to control urban sprawl and create polycentric urban structures. However, existing conclusions are mixed. This paper contributes to this issue with an in-depth analysis of China's cities. Interestingly, polycentric cities demonstrated lower travel energy efficiency than monocentric ones. This is mainly because urban sub-center developments have failed to combine employment and residential land use. In these planned sub-centers, land use is usually dominated by either housing or industrial park developments, requiring people to commute long distances between home and work, and use cars at high rates. Increasing fragmentation of development management due to political decentralization has apparently worsened the job-housing imbalance. Though a significant effect of urban structure on transport energy consumption was observed, car use control policies had no effect, while a high level of metro services was associated with lower energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have frequently taken urban density as a surrogate for economic efficiency and applied composite scores such as urban intensity to assess the existing physical forms of towns. However, measures of intensity might nuance crude calculations of density while considering how such measures relate to future plans and the process of transformations. This paper used open source geospatial data and regulatory detailed planning to measure urban intensity of the existing and the planned. Spatial analytical techniques were applied to compute accessibility to destinations, building density, compactness of development, and diversity of land use function of sixteen specialty towns in China. The results showed that the regulatory detailed planning of these cases might not improve town planning measured by intensity in terms of spatial arrangement in the time horizon of 15–20 years. We found that well-integrated monocentric forms with the finer street network could potentially provide a more suitable spatial distribution for mid-sized towns measured by urban intensity, no matter whether the urban form is linear or center-spreading. Moreover, the comparison between the existing and the planned implies that the poly-centric urban form for mid-sized towns in China could end up with a lower score of urban intensity. We outline a framework of urban intensity measures that include analytical consideration of what is there now, planned to what is forthcoming, and conceptual in terms of time and space. • Differentiating urban intensity from density • Using urban block as the spatial unit of study is more accurate than a synthetic spatial grid. • Comparing existing and planned conditions of medium-sized towns • Evaluation and intervention of town planning policies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, change detection reviews have examined and categorized algorithms based on their techniques for the remote sensing community. Here, we synthesize urban land change algorithms by the types of information they provide to a diverse and growing set of user communities. Two goals of the paper are first to synthesize past and current change detection studies to examine urban land change to help users of remote sensing algorithms understand and navigate the vast variety of available methods, and second to identify gaps in knowledge for the urban remote sensing community. We analyzed 644 peer-reviewed research papers published in English-language journals and conducted a systematic review of urban land change algorithms. All papers included in our study focus on urban land change ; studies that concentrate on single-date urban classification or mapping for one point in time without an explicit urban land change component are not included in this analysis. The review showed five key results and knowledge gaps. First, most urban change detection algorithms are being developed and applied for only a few regions, with 75% of studies focused on high or upper-middle-income countries and the majority of these on China or the United States. This suggests a major gap in geographic coverage as well as the need for more studies on cities in low and lower-middle-income countries. Second, the results show that 41% of the algorithms have been developed or applied for cities of over 5 million inhabitants. This focus on large cities is problematic given that only 11% of the world's urban population lives in cities with populations greater than 5 million and that most future urban growth will occur in small- and medium-sized towns and cities with populations of fewer than 1 million people. Third, our analysis shows that 62% of the studies use three or fewer time points to measure urban land change with an average study length of 17 years. Since rapidly growing urban areas are highly dynamic, this suggests that existing algorithms using only a few time points are likely missing urban transitions that can only be captured with high temporal frequency analysis. Fourth, we find that urban expansion is the most commonly monitored type of urban land change. Comparatively fewer studies characterized intra-urban change or three-dimensional structural change. Fifth and finally, the results show that an overwhelming majority—87%—of all studies identify only one urban class, highlighting a need for more studies that distinguish intra-urban variation and differentiate multiple urban classes. Our analysis shows that it is very difficult—nearly impossible—to compare across algorithms. Thus, for users of urban land change information, it is difficult to navigate the literature and know which algorithms are most appropriate for a particular use. Taken together, this points to the need for improved reproducibility, replicability, and comparability of studies in order to help harmonize urban land change information across regions and countries. This is especially important given the growing user communities of urban land change products and analysis, especially from policy and practice. • We conduct a systematic review of the urban land change algorithm literature. • Most studies monitor urban change at low temporal frequencies. • The majority of urban land change is characterized using only one urban class. • Over 75% of studies focus on high or upper-middle level income countries. • Key knowledge gaps include in geographic coverage, city size, and land transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper explores urban system in China and its deviations from Zipf's law. • The size distributions of Chinese cities did not follow Zipf's law until recently. • Both large and small cities were under-sized relative to the Zipf's law. • Excluding the top 10% large cities, the data fit the Zipf's law better. • The deviations rises with government interferences and decreases with market forces. How are urban residents distributed and agglomerated across different-sized cities? This question can be addressed by studying urban system or Zipf's law. Using Chinese data for the period of 1990–2017, this paper contributes to the literature by exploring the evolution of urban system, and more importantly deviations from Zipf's law. It is found that (1) The size distribution of Chinese cities, as expected, did not follow Zipf's law until very recently. Both large cities and small towns were under-sized relative to the Zipf's law, implying possible loss of agglomeration economies; (2) When the top 10% large cities are excluded, the Chinese data fit the Zipf's law better, demonstrating the adverse role of government interference in containing the growth of mega-cities; (3) By and large, the distribution has been moving closer or further away from Zipf's law, corroborating with policy directions in the relevant five-year plans of the central government; and (4) Government interferences helped enlarge while market forces helped reduce the numerical deviations of individual cities from Zipf's law. The last three analytical findings are the first in the literature since no previous studies have focused on the issue of why urban system in China does not follow Zipf's law. In particular, no earlier efforts have been made to model numerical deviations from Zipf's law, as attempted in this paper. The results appeal for removal of government interferences and furthering market-based reforms in order to reap economies of agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries tend to exhibit evident urban–rural income divergence as urban areas rapidly expand into adjoining land. However, Western-centric urban theories and studies of spatial inequality have not paid sufficient attention to the connection between income divergence and urban expansion. This paper employed a panel quantile regression model to investigate this relationship in 220 prefecture-level Chinese cities in 2006–2014. To identify potential spatiotemporal effects, we conducted additional robustness checks using the spatial Durbin model and geographical and temporal weighted regression. The results show that a 1 % expansion of urban land decreases the urban–rural income gap by 0.005 % to 0.011 %. This narrowing effect is particularly prominent in the eastern and central regions and in areas that are less urbanized overall. It also varies within regions that have a more pronounced difference between the lowest and highest quantiles in northeastern China and cities with urbanization rates of >50 %. Finally, we find evidence for an inverted U-shaped relationship between urban expansion and the urban–rural income gap. Our results entail suggestions for improved urban–rural development policies aimed toward greater integration and efficiency in urban expansion. • The relationship between urban expansion and the urban-rural income gap was investigated using panel quantile regressions. • Robust checks were conducted with the spatial Durbin model (SDM) and geographical and temporal weighted regression (GTWR). • A 1% urban expansion decreases the urban-rural income gap by 0.005% to 0.011%. • An inverted U-shaped relationship between urban expansion and the urban-rural income gap was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with China's rapid urbanization development process, the severe ecological security problems which brought by the urbanization related activities has gradually caused academic and public discussion. To reach the high-quality development goals set by central government decisions in China, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between urbanization and ecological security, which can provide guidance to explore the path of coordination. On the basis of three major urban agglomerations in China, this paper constructs the comprehensive evaluation system of urbanization and ecological security through multi-source data. By using the Entropy-weight TOPSIS method, cities' urbanization and ecological security levels are calculated. Through the coupling coordination model, the coordination levels between urbanization and ecological security were also analyzed. At the end, Through Kernel estimation and the Markov chain method, the relative-absolute differentiation and the overall evolution trend of the coordination development were also estimated. The research results indicate the following: (1) The core cities' urbanization and ecological security level in the region are relatively high, while the peripheral cities are generally low; (2) The coordination development in the urban agglomerations revealed as a relatively steady progress; (3) The aggregation effect gradually emerged under the coordination development periods in the urban agglomerations; (4) The overall coupling coordination development in urban agglomerations has the possibility of club convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unfolding high-speed railway (HSR) network is expected to have a great impact on Chinese cities. This paper discusses the international experience of the direct and indirect development effects of the HSR network on cities at the regional, urban and station-area level. It then discusses the potential development implications and planning challenges for China by translating the international experience into a Chinese context. Finally, future topics for research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last three decades the percentage of China's population living in cities has nearly tripled and this massive urbanization is continuing. This paper examines three aspects of recent and projected Chinese urban development: scale, tempo, and form in relation to urban visions. Issues Western urban theorists like Ebenezer Howard, Albert Soria y Mata, Frank Lloyd Wright, LeCorbusier, and Clarence Perry addressed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are fundamental: city size, the relationship of cities to peri-urban areas, the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, transportation infrastructure and land use, urban governance and finance, property rights, aesthetics, and community. As China struggles to plan cities with Chinese characteristics it must work at scales ranging from small towns to megacities, decide how rapidly to urbanize under enormous pressure, and determine the physical forms urbanization will take. Understanding and adapting Western visions can help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines features and driving forces of urban sprawl in Hangzhou from 1995 to 2005 by using urban expansion classification, density analysis, spatial metrics, and geospatial analysis. We classified Hangzhou''s urban development into three types: infilling, edge, and leapfrog growth, and used a leapfrog development index to indicate the extent of this type of urban expansion. We defined a sprawl index that takes both urban land expansion and population density into account to measure the magnitude of sprawl at the street-town level. Further, we employed landscape metrics to describe the change of spatial pattern of Hangzhou''s urban expansion. To assess the inconsistency between actual urban expansion and planning, we compared the current urban land use with the latest urban land planning. Based on our findings, we identified features of urban sprawl of Chinese cities that are distinct from those identified in cities of western countries and discussed the role of critical policies that have affected urban sprawl in Hangzhou. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: China is motorizing rapidly, with associated urban road development and extensive construction of motorways. Speeding accounts for about 10% of fatalities, which represents a large decrease from a peak of 17.2% in 2004. Speeding has been addressed at a national level through the introduction of laws and procedural requirements in 2004, in provinces either across all road types or on motorways, and at city level. Typically, documentation of speed enforcement programmes has taken place when new technology (i.e. speed cameras) is introduced, and it is likely that many programmes have not been documented or widely reported. In particular, the national legislation of 2004 and its implementation was associated with a large reduction in fatalities attributed to speeding. In Guangdong Province, after using speed detection equipment, motorway fatalities due to speeding in 2005 decreased by 32.5% comparing with 2004. In Beijing, the number of traffic monitoring units which were used to photograph illegal traffic activities such as traffic light violations, speeding and using bus lanes illegally increased to 1958 by April 1, 2009, and in the future such automated enforcement will become the main means of enforcement, expected to account for 60% of all traffic enforcement in Beijing. This paper provides a brief overview of the speeding enforcement programmes in China which have been documented and their successes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: China’s rapid growth over the last three decades has attracted much academic attention. In the post-reform era, economic growth has been paralleled by rapid urbanization. China’s urbanization experience has been shaped heavily by the state through national urban policies as well as through local administrative means. Much has been written about large Chinese cities in the more developed coastal regions, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but little is known about the process of city-making in medium-sized and small Chinese cities, especially those in the less developed central and western regions of the country. This paper sheds light on the processes of urban transformation in Hebi, a medium-sized inland city in Henan Province, emphasizing the critical role that the local state has played in city-making, the mechanisms and processes of change, and the resultant impacts on the city. As a mining city, Hebi has been threatened by depleting natural resources. To invigorate the city, a new city center has been built to attract new enterprises. Through intensive interviews and fieldwork conducted in 2007 and 2008, we examine what the city government of Hebi has done to turn the newly constructed urban space into a new administrative and economic center of the city. With the establishment of new enterprises, the local economy has been diversified, although coal continues to be a major component of Hebi’s economy. The role of the local state in the production and development of the new urban space is direct and forceful. As local state policies on urban development have been implemented by strong administrative means, we conceptualize the contemporary Chinese model of urbanization as “administrative urbanization”. One problem with this kind of state-dominated urbanization and city-making is that the needs of the people are not fully considered, and it is unclear who the major beneficiaries are. More case studies are needed to determine how economic and political forces are driving China’s land-based urban development, the extent to which local states are understood as entrepreneurial, profit-seeking and pro-growth, the relationship between the local state and other stake-holders in local urban development, and who has benefited from administrative urbanization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Urban greenways are proven strategies to counter ecological fragmentation and improve urban sustainability. However, significant challenges remain when seeking to integrate multiple functions into priority-oriented planning. In this paper, we focus on the city of Wuhan (China) to present an innovative approach for developing multi-functional greenway networks. Based on remote sensing and geographical information systems, this approach applies a least-cost path model, a kernel density analysis and a proxy index to identify and integrate multiple needs into priority greenway networks. Our priorities are bird and small mammal conservation, human recreation and water protection. In the cost settings of the least-cost path model, we include simulated construction costs to realistically identify corridors. This method insures that our results reflect the expenses necessary for the construction of greenways. Our study demonstrates that the kernel density method is an effective tool to illustrate priorities by revealing the potential utilisation intensity of corridors. Based on the proposed method, we identify eight potential greenway networks, each highlighting different sets of priorities. We divide these priority greenway networks into three categories of ecological security: ideal greenways, backbone greenways and the comprehensive greenway network. The latter represents the integration of animal conservation, human recreation and water protection objectives. Because priorities can be added, interchanged or weighted according to local specificities, our study offers a methodological framework applicable to developing and developed cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In an open market, the land price of a particular site represents a set of attributes that a user is willing to pay for the use of that site. It has long been established that one of the most important attributes is the distance of this site from the city center. Based on a mono-centric assumption of urban development, land economists since Alonso have almost all agreed that there is a diminishing effect on land price the greater the distance from the city center. Although there have been various modifications of this locational perspective, it remains the core concept of land market dynamics. The question arises, therefore, as to whether a semi-open but extremely active land market with a heavy government presence will also follow this urban structure principle. In this paper, we apply a double-log regression model to examine land price changes in Shanghai from 1992 to 2006. Our results, based on an examination of more than seven thousand transactions, show that land price changes in Shanghai follow these dynamics and that a major transportation node plays an important role. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates the polycentric network organization in Yangtze River Delta in 2001 and 2009 by morphological attribute and functional connection. The result shows that a morphological and functional polycentric network is in development in mega-city regions in Yangtze River Delta. In terms of morphological attribute, the rank-size feature of urban system has a tendency of decreasing. Meanwhile, network connection between cities in the mega-city regions in Yangtze River Delta tends to be frequent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous studies have understood urban competitiveness mainly from an economic perspective. Drawing on insights from recent debates on urban governance that argue for sustainable development, this study employs a more balanced view that takes into account the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of urban competitiveness. A four-level hierarchical indicator system is used to examine the competitiveness of 253 Chinese cities at the prefecture level or above in the year 2000. The results show that most of the top 20 cities are in the eastern part of China and have populations over 0.5 million. The bottom 20 cities are located primarily in the western part of China and have smaller populations that range from 0.2 to 0.5 million. In 2000 the city with the top economic competitiveness was Shanghai, the top social competitiveness was Beijing, and the top environmental competitiveness was Zhuhai. A given city does not necessarily rank the same in economic, social, and environmental competitiveness, but may perform well in different ways. The paper argues that, in order to sustain urban competitiveness, a city should achieve not only good economic performance, but also satisfactory social and environmental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Accurate assessment of China's ecological environment changes in the past 20 years is important. • We used time-series NDVI data (1998–2018) to evaluate China's ecological environment change. • In one-third of China the ecological environment has improved, and in 10%, the ecological environment has deteriorated. • The Yellow River Basin is an area where the ecological environment has significantly improved. • The main reason for the deterioration in the ecological environment of the eastern coastal areas is urban expansion. The ecological environment is the foundation of human survival and development. China's ecological environment has undergone a historic transition from partial improvement to overall improvement. In this paper, long time series NDVI data (1998–2018) are used to evaluate the ecological environment change and spatiotemporal change that has taken place in China over the last 20 years, at different scales (regional, provincial, county, and grid scales). Combined with typical areas, the causes of ecological environment change are revealed. The results show that in about one-third of China, the ecological environment improved, and in 10%, the ecological environment deteriorated. Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Guizhou, and Guangxi are the provinces in which the improvement of the ecological environment is most pronounced. However, the ecological environments with vegetation as the core in Shanghai and Jiangsu Province have deteriorated significantly. The areas with the fastest improvement in their ecological environment are those with precipitation of 200–600 mm. The Yellow River Basin is an area where the ecological environment has significantly improved. Forestry projects and the development of oasis agriculture effectively promote the improvement of the ecological environment. In the past 20 years, the main reason for the degradation of the ecological environment in eastern coastal areas is urban expansion. China should continue to strengthen its overall layout of forestry projects and improve its ecological environment. When planning its ecological construction, China should fully consider the associated physical and geographical conditions, and adjust measures to local conditions accordingly. China should coordinate the relationship between development and protection and avoid the "pie spread" expansion witnessed in eastern coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small towns, the nodes connecting cities and villages, play an important role in urbanization and rural development. However, it is generally believed that small towns lack economic efficiency therefore are excluded from main-stream urbanization of China. Based on the socio-economic statistics of 109 towns in 7 counties of Jiangsu province, this paper evaluates the DEA efficiency of small towns with different classifications, and compares the DEA efficiency of small towns with 21 county-towns, then analyzes the economic density of small towns and 283 prefecture-level cities with different scales. The results show that: (1) There are significant differences in the efficiency characteristics of different types of towns. Approximately 80% of the sampled towns could improve their efficiency by intensive resource-use and production scale expansion; (2) Although county-towns obtained more resources, their efficiency is not significantly superior than other types of towns (P > 0.05); (3) Small towns perform well in terms of economic density, which is not significantly different from small and medium-sized cities, but significantly lower than large cities with population of municipal district > 1 million. These findings challenge the stereotypes of towns in driving urbanization. The authors argue that the economic development level, input-output efficiency and economic density of small towns can also be high, shaping their important role in integrating urban and rural development, accelerating new-type urbanization and promoting rural vitalization strategy. • DEA was employed to evaluate the efficiency of 109 sampled small towns. • There are significant differences in the efficiency characteristics of different types of towns. • The economic density of small towns is significantly lower than that of big cities, but no significant difference with small and medium-sized cities. • More attention should be paid to incubate some key towns as growth poles of rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Use post road network in the Ming Dynasty and locations of military bases as instruments. • HSR connection on average leads to a 11.2% faster rate of growth of urban built-up areas. • HSR has no significant impact on urban built-up land growth for large cities and coastal cities. • For medium-small cities and inland cities, land growth rate is 22% and 20.2% faster with HSR connection. • Local governments' bargaining power and reliance on land-based fiscal revenue are the key. This paper aims to measure the impact of HSR on urban land growth and to explore how the impact varies between different types of cites. Since HSR route planning decisions are influenced by the economic status of cities en route , whether a city gets an HSR station is likely to be endogenous to its economic growth and land development rate. To address this endogeneity, we adopt a Two-period Panel Data Instrumental Variable model using post road network in the Ming Dynasty and locations of military bases as instrumental variables. Results show that being connected to the HSR network on average leads to a 11.2% faster rate of growth of urban built-up areas. More interestingly, we document substantial heterogeneity in this impact based on the size and location of cities. Causes and mechanism for such heterogeneity are also elaborated, together with the policy and planning implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing inequality in spatial accessibility to hospitals in developing countries has been attracting attention from researchers and politicians. The situation seems to be worse in growing megacities where more than 10 million people live and rapid urban sprawl has caused serious problems with the supply of health and public transport services. The recent global COVID-19 pandemic calls for particular attention to be afforded to the matter of equal access to basic medical facilities and services for people across different neighborhoods. Although some studies have already been undertaken into the subject of health-focused inequality in the cities of developing countries, the spatial inequity in hospital accessibility has rarely been discussed to date. In this paper, I aim to provide new evidence by considering Beijing as a case study. With the results of my analysis, I show that low-income neighborhoods have experienced lower levels of accessibility not only to high-tier hospitals (secondary and tertiary hospitals) but also to primary healthcare services (primary hospital and neighborhood clinics). The rate at which high-income neighborhoods access secondary and tertiary hospitals is approximately 4 times and 1.5 times as high as that of low-income neighborhoods. Low-income face nearly twice the travel time of those from high-income neighborhoods to reach the nearest primary hospital or neighborhood clinics. Suburban neighborhoods have less access to medical services than neighborhoods that are located in the central urban areas. It seems that the rapid urban sprawl has been worsening spatial inequality in the context of access to medical services in the growing megacity of Beijing. Equal access to healthcare services should be prioritized in future policy discussions, especially in relation to the urban growth management of megacities in developing countries in order to ensure that fair and inclusive urbanization processes are undertaken. Equal access to healthcare services would also be widely beneficial in the context of managing the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas in China have expanded rapidly in recent decades, which mainly resulted in the conversion of fertile cropland. As the growth of urban areas is likely to continue in the next decades, there is a need for detailed assessments of urbanization impacts on food production. However, most land use models cannot simulate different types of urban change trajectories, such as expansion and densification, which constrains their capacity to inform such assessments with sufficient detail on the patterns of urbanization. In this paper, we present a land use model that represents multiple types of settlements, which allows to simulate multiple different urban change trajectories. We applied this model to Jiangsu Province, China, and assess the impact of projected urban development between 2015 and 2030 on cropland area and crop production. Results show that population growth is accommodated by different urban change trajectories, depending on the absence or presence of land use policies to maintain food security. In the absence of policies, population growth mainly leads to urban expansion, yielding losses in both cropland area and crop production. Implementing strict cropland protection policies leads to more urban densification and all population can be accommodated without a net loss of cropland. Yet, crop production decreases in this scenario as the most productive croplands are still converted and compensated by less productive areas. Protecting crop production instead leads to a small loss in cropland area combined with cropland intensification and different types of urban change, but maintains the total crop production. These results show the relevance of more nuanced representation of urban development in land use models in order to inform land use policies. • Land use assessments should account for the variety in settlements, from towns to metropolises. • We model land use change using multiple different settlement systems. • In the absence of policies, urban growth will lead to a decline in cropland and crop production. • Protecting cropland area leads to urban densification accompanied by a decline in crop production. • It is possible to maintain crop production and still accommodate for urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]