Urban-rural and Regional Structural Changes in the Process of Chinese Modernization

The urban-rural and regional coordinated development is a crucial foundation for achieving the smooth domestic circulation, high-quality economic growth, and Chinese modernization. The imbalances in China's urban-rural and regional development remain a major challenge, and the modernization of these structures faces new problems and complexities. Specifically, urban-rural and regional disparities in China are becoming increasingly multifaceted. In terms of urban-rural structure, with widespread population mobility, China is transitioning from a dual "farmer-urban resident" model to a more diverse "farmers-migrant population-urban residents" framework. Regarding regional structure, the existing gradient development pattern across the east, central, and west has not changed. Meanwhile, the "revitalization of the Northeast" issue has grown more prominent, and the north-south disparity continues to widen. Modernizing China's urban-rural and regional structures is a complex task that directly impacts rural revitalization, high-quality county-level economic development, industrial supply chain security, and the realization of Chinese modernization. All these require comprehensive reforms to the household registration system (hukou) and efforts to equalize urban and rural public services. Additionally, overcoming the dependence on traditional industries and addressing the "dual path dependency" of non-institutional, traditional cultural factors, such as personal networks and social obligations, are crucial for fostering high-quality county-level economic development and resolving urban-rural and regional imbalances in China.