Two prevalent views are reviewed on China's urbanization firstly.Then,this article highlights the characteristics and pattern of urbanization in the world based on the quadrants map,using data of 118 countries or areas.The results indicate that the process of urbanization in the world excluding the data of China has slowed down gradually.A further exploration examines China's urbanization process and economic development over time,which reveals that both urbanization level and the level of economic development belong to the low-grade coordination pattern.The low level of urbanization is closely connected with the low level of economic development.Actually,China's urbanization gap appeared during 1985-1995,but it has been eliminating this urbanization gap since 1995 as a result of rapid urbanization growing.The complicated realities revealed in this analysis challenge the existing two prevalent views.
This paper analyzes the present situation of China's territorial development and holds that the spatial framework for socio-economic development can not be naturally extended under the present conditions. Hence it is necessary to strengthen rationally spatial agglomeration. The basic concept and framework for future territorial devel- opment are raised based on the elaboration of factors affecting the territorial development of China.
