China's Urbanization Process: Economic Opportunities and Challenges

Authors

  • Siman Wang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/3r1dmp11

Keywords:

Urbanization Process, Employment Opportunities, Opportunities and Challenges.

Abstract

This paper examines the economic impacts of China's rapid urbanisation. The research content includes how urbanisation drives economic growth, creates employment opportunities, and promotes industrial upgrading, while also leading to issues such as regional development imbalances and rising living costs for residents. The study primarily employs literature review method, with data sources including government reports and academic literature. The findings reveal that while China's urbanisation has stimulated economic vitality, it has also exacerbated regional disparities and increased pressure on residents. In response, this paper proposes policy recommendations to promote balanced regional development and offers suggestions for optimizing population mobility policies, aiming to provide insights for China and other emerging economies in achieving sustainable urban development.

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References

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Published

2025-09-23

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Wang, Siman. 2025. “China’s Urbanization Process: Economic Opportunities and Challenges”. Scientific Journal of Economics and Management Research 7 (9): 151-55. https://doi.org/10.54691/3r1dmp11.