As China's cities grow, the economic policy that determines who is a rural resident and who is an urban resident are in need of some changes, according to this article.
"At present 46% of China's population (some 600 million people) is classified as urban, while some of the 700 million considered rural already live under semi-urban conditions. Urban incomes and expenditure are three times higher, on average, than their rural equivalent.
Hukou reform is one of the longest-running sagas of Chinese economic policy, but has never made it on to the statute book. This time, Chinese economists note, the conditions are right. The global economic crisis has made a change of course inevitable.
The decision to change now 'has a lot to do with the government's plan of structural adjustments for China's growth model ... Urbanisation is one of the structural adjustments aimed at reducing China's reliance on external demand,' writes Yao Yang, a researcher at the China Centre for Economic Research, in an article on ending hukou, published by the China Daily."
FULL STORY: China: Rural-urban divide perplexes
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The Pew Research Center digs into a question of definitions, fraught with exceptions and subjectivity.
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In a new book, Hans Westlund and Tigran Haas argue that the global knowledge economy is radically reshaping urban development. Eventually, they say, it'll render meaningless our present notions of "urban," "suburban," and "rural."
You Weigh Where You Live
A new study to be published in the fall issue of the Journal of Rural Health finds evidence that rural Americans are more likely to be overweight than their urban cohorts, reports Mary MacVean.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
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