Migration, urban population growth and regional disparity in China

The main objective of this paper is to study the determinants of city population growth in China during the 1990s', as well as the determinants of migrations towards cities, which constitutes the main source of urban population growth in this period. A second objective is to identify regional differences in the urban growth and migrations, that is, whether urban growth and migration patterns are different between coastal and inland provinces. Additionally, we are interested in the differences between temporary and permanent migrations towards urban areas.cerdi

Migration, urban population growth and regional disparity in China

The main objective of this paper is to study the determinants of city population growth in China during the 1990s’, as well as the determinants of migrations towards cities, which constitutes the main source of urban population growth in this period. A second objective is to identify regional differences in the urban growth and migrations, that is, whether urban growth and migration patterns are different between coastal and inland provinces. Additionally, we are interested in the differences between temporary and permanent migrations towards urban areas.

Migration, urban population growth and regional disparity in China

The main objective of this paper is to study the determinants of city population growth in China during the 1990s', as well as the determinants of migrations towards cities, which constitutes the main source of urban population growth in this period. A second objective is to identify regional differences in the urban growth and migrations, that is, whether urban growth and migration patterns are different between coastal and inland provinces. Additionally, we are interested in the differences between temporary and permanent migrations towards urban areas

Urbanisation et Croissance des Villes en Chine

This dissertation studies urbanization and city growth in China. It is composed of tow parts. The first part begins with a review of theoretic models of urbanization in development economics, and then describes stylised facts of China's urbanization process. Problems of urban population measures, the unique industrialization strategies as well as institutional changes that determine urban growth are examined. The second part studies the link between city growth and agglomeration economies. The concept of agglomeration economies is clarified before we carry out empirical tests with a panel of about 150 Chinese cities in the 1990s. Then, the evolution of China's city size distribution is examined using different analysis approaches such as Zipf's law, Markov transition matrix. Finally, we estimate the determinants of city growth in the 1990s.Our finding suggests that urbanization process had been delayed in China, due to particular strategies of industrialisation (heavy industry bias before the reforms and rural industrialization after the reforms) and incomplete features of factor markets (labour and land); in particular, restrictive policies make that cities are not large enough to exploit gains related to agglomeration economies. With the deepening of its economic reforms, China would continue its structural transition from rural to urban society, and urban growth would be one of the driving forces of China's economic growth. Policies aimed at promoting urbanization and growth should consist in relaxing the restrictions on city size, establishing complete product and factor market, and improving urban governance, especially the provision of urban infrastructures.Cette thèse étudie l'urbanisation et la croissance des villes en Chine. Elle est composée de deux parties : la première partie est consacrée à une revue des modèles théoriques d'urbanisation et à une description de l'urbanisation de la Chine. Le problème de la mesure de la population urbaine, des changements institutionnels ainsi que des spécificités du processus d'urbanisation chinois sont étudiés. La deuxième partie relie la croissance économique urbaine aux économies d'agglomération, et étudie les caractéristiques de la croissance récente de la population des villes. Le concept théorique d'économie agglomération est clarifié avant de procéder à des tests empiriques sur une base de données d'environ 150 villes chinoises pendant la décennie 1990. En suite, nous examinons l'évolution de la distribution de la taille des villes par différents instruments d'analyse. Enfin, nous estimons les déterminants de la croissance urbaine durant la période 1990-2000.Notre étude suggère que la Chine a connu un retard de l'urbanisation dû aux stratégies d'industrialisation particulières (biais de l'industrie lourde avant les réformes et industrialisation rurale après les réformes) et au caractère incomplet des marchés des facteurs de production (le travail et la terre, entre autres) ; les villes ne sont pas assez grandes pour exploiter les économies d'agglomération. Avec l'approfondissement des réformes économiques, la Chine doit poursuivre cette transformation structurelle rurale/urbaine car le développement de l'économie urbaine va constituer l'un des moteurs de la croissance économique du pays. Les politiques destinées à promouvoir l'urbanisation doivent consister à améliorer les institutions sur les marchés des facteurs de production, et à relâcher les restrictions sur la taille des villes

Productivity and Agglomeration Economies in Chinese Cities

I test the existence of agglomeration economies in Chinese cities by evaluating the impact of population size and density on urban productivity. Based on panel data of about 150 Chinese cities during the 1990s, I find an inverted U-shaped relationship between city size and productivity as well as a positive effect of population density on urban productivity. The estimated city size corresponding to the peak point of labour productivity ranges between 3 and 4 million, which implies that most cities in our sample are not large enough to fully exploit productivity advantages associated with agglomeration economies. Comparative Economic Studies (2009) 51, 284–301. doi:10.1057/ces.2008.43; published online 21 May 2009

Urban Growth Determinants in China

International audienceThis article examines the determinants of Chinese city population growth in the 1990s. In this decade, the Chinese government continued to loosen the restriction on rural/urban migration. The consequent rural exodus was accompanied by rapid urban population growth. However, cities of different sizes did not grow at the same rate. Urban literature suggests that city-population growth is determined by some urban characteristics, mainly initial size, economic performance, and geographical factors. Using panel data of Chinese prefecture- and provincelevel cities over the period 1990–2000, we examine how the subsequent population growth of cities is determined by their initial characteristics. Empirical results show that initial size, neighbor effect, and economic performance are the main factors affecting city population growth. Smaller cities grow faster than larger cities; gross domestic product per capita level and the degree of openness both exert a positive effect on growth rate. Finally, neighbors' impact on city growth has a quadratic shape

Urban Growth Determinants in China

This article examines the determinants of Chinese city population growth in the 1990s. In this decade, the Chinese government continued to loosen the restriction on rural/urban migration. The consequent rural exodus was accompanied by rapid urban population growth. However, cities of different sizes did not grow at the same rate. Urban literature suggests that city-population growth is determined by some urban characteristics, mainly initial size, economic performance, and geographical factors. Using panel data of Chinese prefecture- and province-level cities over the period 1990-2000, we examine how the subsequent population growth of cities is determined by their initial characteristics. Empirical results show that initial size, neighbor effect, and economic performance are the main factors affecting city population growth. Smaller cities grow faster than larger cities; gross domestic product per capita level and the degree of openness both exert a positive effect on growth rate. Finally, neighbors' impact on city growth has a quadratic shape.