Marketisation, globalisation and the Chinese city

Sun Sheng Han () and Ning Yan ()

Chapter 8 in Institutions, Culture and the Chinese City, 2025, pp 164-195 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Chapter 8 examines two interlocking processes – marketisation and globalisation – that promoted urban development in the post-Deng Era under the leadership of Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. The discussion focuses on the institutions and culture underpinning these processes, centring on the socialist market economy as a new economic institution. In essence, Jiang and Hu continued Deng's reform and open policies by privatising the economy and promoting China's global integration. China's private businesses flourished through supportive policies and state-owned enterprise reforms, leading to a more inclusive economy and a robust manufacturing sector. The plan to transform China into a socialist market economy assured Western countries that China's vast market would be beneficial and that China would fulfil its obligations as a member of the WTO. The WTO membership boosted China's exports, transforming it into the world's factory. Concurrently, Chinese cities became increasingly integrated into the global production and distribution system, enhancing their roles as important global cities. These developments led to further changes in institutions and culture, such as embracing the ideas of property rights and freedom of expression. More inclusive economic institutions facilitated urban economic growth, consequently attracting many rural workers to cities. This, combined with the ongoing redefinition of towns, cities and urban populations, spurred urbanisation. However, regional imbalances in urban development have worsened during this period, as has the size distribution of cities, resulting in a top-heavy urban hierarchy.

Keywords: Socialist market economy; Privatisation; Globalisation; World factory; Global cities; Top-heavy urban hierarchy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035312429
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