Analysis of rural transformation development in China since the turn of the new millennium

Since the turn of the new millennium, the Chinese central government has focused significant attention on substantially improving rural residents’ well-being and achieving the coordinated development of urban and rural areas. This paper examines China’s rural transformation development based on three assessing indicator systems (the rural development level, the rural transformation level, and the urban–rural coordination level), using government socioeconomic data from 2000 to 2008. Spatial and statistical analyses, supported by SPSS 13 and ArcGIS 9.2 software, show that rural China has experienced universal and intense transformative development since 2000. China’s urban–rural coordination development declined greatly between 2000 and 2008. Our analysis shows that rural transformation development that corresponds to a certain rural development level will lead to the effective development of regional rural systems and an improved urban–rural relationship. This paper suggests that more attention needs to be paid to the powerful factors that fuel rural transformation development, especially in coastal China, to coordinate urban–rural development under the pressure of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the new century. Given the multiscale nature of regional inequalities in rural transformation development, improving rural development policies aimed at various rural transformation development types might be the most effective way to shape a more coordinated urban–rural development pattern in China.

► Three assessing indicator systems were used to examine China's rural transformation development.
► Rural China has experienced universal and intense transformative development since 2000.
► China's urban--rural coordination development declined greatly between 2000 and 2008.
►  Improving policies aimed at various types might be effective way to shape a more coordinated development pattern.