260
W. Yang
conservators of the national park, who can get paid for their work to take care of and
protect natural resources.
The above three examples show that economic development, human development,
and sustainable development should be discussed in a specific space, where the three
should be well-balanced. Spatial development is to strike a balance between the three
in a specific space; otherwise, people’s living quality will be detracted.
Spatial development is development under the vision of ecological civilization.
Ecological civilization is a new state of civilization and social pattern following
industrial civilization. Although development of an ecological civilization is a long
haul, we must stick to this path and do our part. This is what our generation and
every one of us should do.
2 Spatial Equilibrium
Spatial equilibrium is closely related to spatial development and is a theoretical
basis of spatial development. One requirement for development of an ecological civilization is coordinated development of the population, economy, and
environment.
For China, there is still a long way to go from spatial equilibrium. The three city
clusters, namely the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the
Pearl River Delta, constitute 41% of China’s GDP but only 23% of its population,
while less developed regions such as Central China and West China only make up
a small part of the country’s GDP compared to their large proportion. The gaps in
economic development and population between different regions result in disparities
in living standards.
A major reason is that restrictions on urban household registration have not yet
been lifted across the country, especially in megacities. The household registration
system reform is now under way. If the free flow of people is truly achieved, more
people in less developed regions may move to developed regions, leading to a basic
balance in population and economic size and therefore spatial equilibrium between
economic development and human development.
The Gini coefficient is an important indicator that measures economic differences
between regions and between urban and rural areas. As we see it, using the Gini
coefficient to measure differences in levels of personal income makes great sense, but
using it to analyze gaps between regions may have great problems. This is because the
Gini coefficient does not take into account the likes of the 4000-m altitude difference
between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yangtze River Delta and the temperature
difference between Heilongjiang and Sanya where temperature can fall below minus
30 °C and rise above 30 °C, respectively.
Theory can be abstract, but economic policy cannot. If economic policy encourages economic development of all regions without taking into account the altitude
and temperature differences, many problems, such as ecological and environmental
damages, will ensue.
W. Yang
conservators of the national park, who can get paid for their work to take care of and
protect natural resources.
The above three examples show that economic development, human development,
and sustainable development should be discussed in a specific space, where the three
should be well-balanced. Spatial development is to strike a balance between the three
in a specific space; otherwise, people’s living quality will be detracted.
Spatial development is development under the vision of ecological civilization.
Ecological civilization is a new state of civilization and social pattern following
industrial civilization. Although development of an ecological civilization is a long
haul, we must stick to this path and do our part. This is what our generation and
every one of us should do.
2 Spatial Equilibrium
Spatial equilibrium is closely related to spatial development and is a theoretical
basis of spatial development. One requirement for development of an ecological civilization is coordinated development of the population, economy, and
environment.
For China, there is still a long way to go from spatial equilibrium. The three city
clusters, namely the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the
Pearl River Delta, constitute 41% of China’s GDP but only 23% of its population,
while less developed regions such as Central China and West China only make up
a small part of the country’s GDP compared to their large proportion. The gaps in
economic development and population between different regions result in disparities
in living standards.
A major reason is that restrictions on urban household registration have not yet
been lifted across the country, especially in megacities. The household registration
system reform is now under way. If the free flow of people is truly achieved, more
people in less developed regions may move to developed regions, leading to a basic
balance in population and economic size and therefore spatial equilibrium between
economic development and human development.
The Gini coefficient is an important indicator that measures economic differences
between regions and between urban and rural areas. As we see it, using the Gini
coefficient to measure differences in levels of personal income makes great sense, but
using it to analyze gaps between regions may have great problems. This is because the
Gini coefficient does not take into account the likes of the 4000-m altitude difference
between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yangtze River Delta and the temperature
difference between Heilongjiang and Sanya where temperature can fall below minus
30 °C and rise above 30 °C, respectively.
Theory can be abstract, but economic policy cannot. If economic policy encourages economic development of all regions without taking into account the altitude
and temperature differences, many problems, such as ecological and environmental
damages, will ensue.