Case Studies
Sep 28, 2020

Understanding Growth and Shrinkage Phenomena of Industrial and Trade Cities in Southeastern China: Case Study of Yiwu

Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 146, Issue 4

Abstract

With the advancement of globalization and urbanization, the coexistence of growth and shrinkage in urban areas has become increasingly prominent and has implications for urban transformation. This research provided a comprehensive case study of Yiwu and used multisource spatial data to identify and analyze urban growth and shrinkage according to an analytical framework based on multidimensional changes in the population, economy, and landscape from 2012 to 2018. Township-level resident population data and the records of investment data among business enterprises are referred to as macroscopic indicators, and monthly nighttime light image data are employed to evaluate microscale environmental changes of Yiwu. The results showed a rapidly urbanizing process along with some local shrinkage areas in Yiwu. The growth areas were mainly in central Yiwu, while shrinkage occurred in the northern and southern areas. Based on the theoretical framework following the interaction between globalization and localization, both the quantitative analysis and the qualitative analysis indicated that the changes in the international trade environment and domestic environment; the advancement of machine replacement; the development of e-commerce economy; the renovation and improvement of the environment, which was predominantly carried out by the government of Zhejiang province, and the reform of the household registration system are all contributing to Yiwu's growth and shrinkage.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41671161, and 71733001), the Youth Talent Support Program of Beijing Municipal Education Commission (Grant No. CIT&TCD201804097), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Capital University of Economics and Business (Grant No. QNTD202009).

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Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 146Issue 4December 2020

History

Received: Dec 31, 2019
Accepted: Jul 8, 2020
Published online: Sep 28, 2020
Published in print: Dec 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Feb 28, 2021

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Associate Professor, Beijing Key Laboratory of Megaregions Sustainable Development Modelling and School of Urban Economics and Public Administration, Capital Univ. of Economics and Business, Beijing 100070, China (corresponding author). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3251-6231. Email: [email protected]
Ph.D. Student and Research Associate, Beijing Key Laboratory of Megaregions Sustainable Development Modelling, Capital Univ. of Economics and Business, Beijing 100070, China; Dept. of Infrastructure Engineering, Univ. of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8045-3055. Email: [email protected]

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