Research On The Forming Of Urban System And The Development Of Urban-rural Economic Integration

Researchers have made lots of studies on urban system, as well as urban-rural integration, but few could integrate the two aspects. Current studies of urban system mainly focus on its structure, mechanism, and control. We have not found any in-depth studies of the relations between urban system and urban-rural integration; even we have lots of practical research results in China. Such studies related certain regions are of no universal reference. The overall urban-rural development, as a vital deployment and decision in China's social and economic development, needs new studies in a view of integration of theory with practice. This paper tried to focus on the forming of urban system, which promotes the development of urban-rural economic integration. With the help of current research results, theoretical trains of thinking, and analytical tools, we place theories of urban system under the background of the target of urban-rural economic integration, in order to find their inner links, developing laws, especially their inherent factors and mechanism. We integrate such theoretical structure with practice to make a study of Chengdu (a pilot zone of comprehensive reform for integrated development of rural and urban areas) as an example, giving relative suggestions and developing targets, so as to discuss the relations between urban system and urban-rural economic integration, and how to promote urban-rural economic integration via the establishment of urban system.In writing, we follow the logical relations of forming a theoretical structure, problem review, problem analysis, development of train of thought and policy planning.This paper first explores the theories on the relations of urban system and urban-rural economic integration, which provides this article with theoretical foundation and research methods. Secondly, this paper analyzes the theoretical relations of urban system and urban-rural economic integration, and evaluates what kinds of urban system are able to promote urban-rural economic integration, which is the core of this paper. And then puts forward the factors and mechanism of urban system under the background of urban-rural economic integration. This also provides theoretical basis for later application analysis. Thirdly, this paper makes an empirical and practical study on the overall development of city and countryside of Chengdu, historically stating and evaluating the evolution of urban system, and the urban-rural economic development as well. This is helpful to better understand the current situations and developing course of the urban system, and urban-rural economic integration as well.Then we analyze the scale structure, spatial structure, and functional structure of the urban system of Chengdu, disclosing the current characters and problems lying in the three structures under the targets of urban-rural economic integration of Chengdu. And furthermore, this paper studied the mechanism of urban system and urban-rural economic integration, analyzed the opportunities and challenges Chengdu now is facing in course of forming urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration. Finally this paper provides suggestions for forming a urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration.Conclusions drawn from the theoretical study part of this paper are as follows: I. Urban system is an organism composed with associated cities and towns of different scales and different functions in a relatively complete country or region. The main contents of urban system are its scale structure, spatial structure and functional structure. II. Urban-rural integration is a course of cities and country trying to exist and develop together in a certain region. Urban-rural economic integration stresses the integration of economic relations, which could reduce the economic development difference between cities and country through the free movements of productive factors and the radiation or driving role made by cities to the country.III. There should be close relations between urban system and urban-rural economic integration. Rational scale structure of urban system is a vertical support for the movement of productive factors between cities and country, while clear functional structure and coordinated spatial structure of urban system can promote the development of urban-rural economic integration. IV. Forming urban system to promote the development of urban-rural economic integration can be considered an organizational relation of co-affection of human factor, industry factor, land factor, infrastructure factor and social systems. The clustering mechanism, internal promotional mechanism and external pulling mechanism of the five factors form the mechanism of the promotion of urban-rural economic integration.Conclusions drawn from the application study part of this paper are as follows:I. In the scale structure of the urban system of Chengdu, the primacy index is so high that it restricts economic energy to transmit from the core part to the area around, and so hinders the reduction of urban-rural difference. Due to the scarcity of middle-level cities and the insufficient development of urban areas, there are few areas which can absorb the economic energy transmitted or become social & economic sub-centers. The scale of towns is too small to support urban-rural spatial integration. II. Centered on the core of the city, Chengdu's spatial structure shows a character of ring style. The urban system looks like an unbalanced pentagon. The urban spatial pattern is spreading from a circle style to a corridor style. The former style emphasizes the clustering effects, and enlarges urban-rural difference. It also hinders coordinated urban-rural economic development. III. As to the functional structure of urban system of Chengdu, the trends of functional division become more distinct, the core urban area is becoming the cluster of the tertiary industry, and the key carrier to provide comprehensive services. The second circle of Chengdu becomes industrial areas and transport hubs. The distant third circle of Chengdu mainly develops agriculture. Because of the scarcity of leading industries, the low quality of planning, the low level of infrastructure and the lack of sustainable development awareness of towns, Chengdu's height and efficiency of industrial structure lie in a disadvantageous position. IV. The current situations both in China and in the world are favorable for Chengdu to raise its comprehensive strength and position, but Chengdu also faces multi-faceted challenges in forming a urban system to promote urban-rural integration. The suggestions are:First, to from a scale structure of orderly centralized and rationally dispersed cities and towns, so as to form a new relation of urban-rural economic integration to speed up the co-development of cities and rural areas. Secondly, To establish a spatial pattern of multi-centers, clusters and ladder style, thus making the city gradually decrease in its density from the core to the periphery, so as to promote the coordinated and sustainable development of cities and rural areas. Thirdly, to establish rational functional structure of cities and towns, fully utilize the advantages of local industrial basis and resources, and rationally decide the development orientation of each town. Different "development poles" and "growth points" should be founded in the course of forming the urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration, aiming to promote urban-rural linked and coordinated development. Fourthly, the role of system and mechanism innovation should be fully played in the course of urban-rural economic integration.The innovation of this paper lie in the following three aspects:I. Innovation of research angle of view. The existed studies mainly focus on a cluster of cities and towns in a certain region, regarding the cluster as a point of the region, and study the development of such points as a whole. But actually, in the course of regional development, the mutual influence of cities & towns and rural areas are most important. So control over rural development from the point of view of region is needed for urban-rural integration. One important step is to guide the coordinated urban-rural economic development by planning the creation of the urban system. The research view of this paper is not limited in urban system, it combines the buildup of urban system with the development of urban-rural economic integration. II. In the exploring course of overall urban-rural development, this paper points out that we should strengthen the study on the forming urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration. Domestic studies mostly focus on the scale structure, spatial structure and functional structure of urban system, few studies could be found to make researches on forming urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration. This paper theoretically studies the relations between forming urban system and urban-rural economic integration, and draws a conclusion that rational scale structure, coordinative spatial structure and distinct functional structure could promote the development of urban-rural economic integration, and based on which, the paper studies the mechanism of forming urban system to promote urban-rural economic integration. III. Innovation of study on application. This paper sets Chengdu as a case, applies the research results of urban system and urban-rural economic integration to the practice of the development of urban system of Chengdu. We hope the study of a typical region could bring useful proposals for the further development of urban-rural integration in Chengdu, speeding up the construction of Chengdu experimental district, and providing other regions with samples of great value.