Sustainable Urban-Rural Symbiosis in China: A Study from the Symbiosis Theory Perspective on Level Measurement and Spatial Difference Analysis

Ping Wang (), Bin Guo and Zeliang Sun
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Ping Wang: School of Management, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Bin Guo: School of Management, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China
Zeliang Sun: School of Management, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Urban-rural imbalance impedes sustainable development in modernizing nations. This paper examines China’s urban-rural relations via symbiosis theory, building a model and index system to assess urban-rural symbiosis, contributing to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Focusing on 31 provinces and cities in China, this study uses data from 2022 and the entropy weight method to evaluate the current urban-rural symbiosis relationship in China. Findings highlight unsustainable urban-rural relations: Firstly, imbalances persist between urban and rural areas in China regarding resource allocation, public services, and development speed, hindering sustainable and equitable development. Secondly, spatial differentiation and insufficient flow of factors significantly restrict the development of urban-rural symbiosis, impacting resource efficiency and balanced regional growth. Thirdly, the levels of cultural and ecological symbiosis between urban and rural areas are low and uneven, posing risks to environmental sustainability and social cohesion. Recommendations include strengthening rural units for collaboration, using counties to improve the symbiosis interface, and optimizing the symbiotic environment. These measures aim to guide, incentivize, coordinate, and protect positive urban-rural relations, driving symbiosis towards a more balanced, inclusive, sustainable urban-rural development model for China, offering insights for similar nations.

Keywords: sustainable development; symbiosis theory; urban-rural relations in China; symbiosis level measurement; spatial differences; urban-rural sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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