By Liu Shijin, the Department Research Center of the State Council; Liu Shuoying, the Research Department of Rural Economy, the DRC; Xu Wei, the General Office, the DRC; Shao Ting, the Institute of Market Economy, the DRC

Research Report No 212, 2013

Abstract

In the urbanization process, economic relations face a great changes in the rural-urban continuum, with the amount of land for building in those areas producing much of the income of farmers and the development space of cities and towns. Farmers use their collective land for their independent role in the urbanization process, which is different from the government policies. The report selected three villages to analyze their practice and its effects, as well as the policies and institutional obstacles to the independent urbanization of farmers. It also makes suggestions on healthier urbanization through urban-rural reforms in the continuum.