1997 China Regional Development Report

Author: Lu Dadao, Xue Fengxuan, et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-12-01
Features: This Report is a part of the authors' long-term plan, focusing on regional economic development in China. The Report, based on abundant and detailed data, summarizes the evolution of China's macro-regional development policies, as well as their achievements and negative effects. It categorizes the development status of all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in the 1990s using a scientific indicator system, analyzes and evaluates the impact of industrial policies, opening-up policies, poverty alleviation policies, regional cooperation policies implemented during the "Eighth Five-Year Plan" period and in 1996, as well as the effects of the fiscal division system introduced since 1994 on regional economic development. Additionally, it explains the changes in the ecological environment across regions under high-speed economic growth.
The Report is grounded in an analysis of the fundamental characteristics of resources, environment, and socio-economic development in China and its regions, tracking the implementation of national and regional development policies. Horizontally, it offers a broad perspective, and vertically, it delves into depth. Every province, municipality, and autonomous region can find its place within the Report. This report comprehensively elaborates on the regional differences in China's natural foundation and economic characteristics. From the perspective of national and provincial/regional government decision-making, it reveals the regional development strategies, policies, and their outcomes implemented in China during the 1990s at multiple levels—nationally, across major belts, among provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, as well as in key industries and development sectors. With rich data, it substantiates the following key arguments:
Since the "Eighth Five-Year Plan," the national economy has maintained sustained high-speed growth without significant economic fluctuations. The macro-regional development policies and economic layout strategies implemented by the central government align with China's current national conditions and have achieved tremendous success. The regional disparities in economic development have significantly increased, but they have stabilized since 1994. While the east-west regional disparities have widened (with some central provinces and autonomous regions experiencing faster growth than the national average in recent years), the north-south regional disparities have become more pronounced and warrant attention. The "quantity" and "quality" differences in economic development among provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions are very evident, with some areas lacking vitality. National industrial restructuring and industrial policies in most regions have been successful, while some regional decisions have been flawed. Special economic zones and open cities continue to develop to varying degrees, facing major adjustments in their "second entrepreneurship." National poverty alleviation efforts have achieved significant success, with region-specific policies and measures creating many valuable experiences. The role of foreign capital and foreign trade in national and regional economic development has become increasingly important, but the strategy for outward-looking economic development needs further adjustment. Regional economic and technological cooperation has made considerable progress, but numerous obstacles remain. Most regions have seen sustained increases in grain production, but the food security situation in some areas remains severe. Transportation and communication systems in China and most regions are transitioning from low to medium-high levels, but there are significant regional differences in both level and structure. High-speed economic growth has led to increasingly severe ecological and environmental issues in most regions. The implementation of the fiscal division system has, to some extent, strengthened central government revenue, but the goals of promoting regional coordination have not been fully realized.
Through the analysis and diagnosis of the above issues, the Report proposes corresponding recommendations for future policies and measures. We believe that these arguments and suggestions will serve as valuable references for government decision-making, the formulation of scientific regional development policies and strategic plans, as well as for academia, the broader public, and overseas individuals concerned with China's development.