A renowned economist said that the real urbanization rate has exceeded the official figure of 43 percent, as it has surpassed the 65 percent mark. This means that instead of the 517 million urbanites, China has 800 to 900 million. Urbanite is defined as a person that stays in a city for a minimum of three months. This new number has caused a change in policy propositions, as China’s governments are now putting forth efforts to conform urban and rural development. One government official said that China should avoid a situation where infrastructure in villages sits idle. Thus the government started a campaign last year, which gave money to rural areas to build new roads, standardize houses for villages, ensure clean water supplies, and to provide healthcare for villagers.
A problem that urbanization has caused are the workers available in the villages. Since nearly 90 percent of people are in the city instead of these villages, there isn’t a lot left behind to do the rural work. Also those who have left for the city are not likely to return to the villages.
I like this article because it shows the efforts China is making toward urbanization. I like that they are reaching out toward the rural areas. I believe if they don’t the gap between rural and urban/city economies and class will grow substantially, as the rural areas are left behind in the dust. I like that the campaign reaches out in helping rural areas with economic issues as well as individual care through the clean water and healthcare advances. I have noticed that with all of the concern with urbanization, rural areas seem to be excluded because the government is mored worried about where the growth is taking place. But with the campaign China is enforcing it seems that they are taking into account all aspects of urbanization. Because it affects everybody, from those who are leaving to live in urban zones, to those who have been left behind for new beginnings.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-10/18/content_6185612.htm
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