He C., Wei Y. D. and Xie X. Globalization, institutional change, and industrial location: economic transition and industrial concentration in China, Regional Studies. Marketization and globalization in China may stimulate industrial clustering, while decentralization may lead to protectionism and industrial dispersion. This paper examines industrial distribution in China during 1980–2003. While Chinese industries have been increasingly concentrated geographically, the study found significant temporal and sectoral variations in concentration. Least protected industries have become increasingly concentrated, and most globalized industries are clustered in the coastal region. The analysis indicates that globalization and internal scale economies have contributed to geographical concentration, while protectionism has hindered industrial specialization. While industries are more likely to locate based on comparative advantages, external scale economies have not fostered industrial concentration. He C., Wei Y. D. et Xie X. La mondialisation, la transformation institutionnelle, et la localisation industrielle: la mutation économique et la concentration industrielle en Chine, Regional Studies. Il se peut que la commercialisation et la mondialisation en Chine encouragent l'établissement de grappes industrielles, alors que la décentralisation amène au protectionnisme et à la dispersion industrielle. Cet article cherche à examiner la distribution industrielle en Chine entre 1980 et 2003. Tandis que l'industrie chinoise se concentre de plus en plus, il s'avère que cette concentration varie sensiblement des points de vue temporel et sectoriel. L'industrie la moins protégée se concentre de plus en plus et l'industrie la plus mondialisée s'agglomère pour la plupart dans la zone côtière. L'analyse laisse voir que la mondialisation et les économies d'échelle internes ont contribué à la concentration géographique, alors que le protectionnisme a entravé la spécialisation industrielle. Pendant que l'industrie se localise en fonction de l'avantage comparatif, les économies d'échelle externes n'encouragent pas la concentration industrielle. Mutation économique Mondialisation Décentralisation Agglomération Concentration géographique Chine He C., Wei Y. D. und Xie X. Globalisierung, institutioneller Wandel und Industriestandorte: wirtschaftlicher Wandel und industrielle Konzentration in China, Regional Studies. Die Marktorientierung und Globalisierung in China kann sich fördernd auf die industrielle Clusterbildung auswirken, während eine Dezentralisierung zu Protektionismus und industrieller Streuung führen kann. In diesem Beitrag untersuchen wir die industrielle Verteilung in China im Zeitraum von 1980 bis 2003. Die chinesischen Industrien haben sich geografisch zunehmend konzentriert, doch zugleich finden wir signifikante zeitliche und sektorale Schwankungen hinsichtlich der Konzentration. Die am wenigsten geschützten Industrien haben sich zunehmend konzentriert, während die am stärksten globalisierten Industrien in Clustern an der Küste angesiedelt sind. Unsere Analyse lässt darauf schließen, dass die Globalisierung und die internen Maßstabsökonomien zur geografischen Konzentration beigetragen haben, während der Protektionismus die industrielle Spezialisierung behindert hat. Zwar suchen sich Industrien ihren Standort eher aufgrund von Wettbewerbsvorteilen aus, doch externe Maßstabsökonomien haben sich nicht fördernd auf die industrielle Konzentration ausgewirkt. Wirtschaftlicher Übergang Globalisierung Dezentralisierung Agglomeration Geografische Konzentration China He C., Wei Y. D. y Xie X. Globalización, cambio institucional y localización industrial: Transición económica y concentración industrial en China, Regional Studies. La comercialización y globalización en China podrían estimular la aglomeración industrial y a la vez la descentralización podría llevar al proteccionismo y la dispersión industrial. En este ensayo examinamos la distribución industrial en China durante 1980–2003. Aunque las industrias chinas se han ido concentrando geográficamente, hemos observado variaciones significativas temporales y sectoriales en concentración. Las industrias menos protegidas se han acabado concentrando y las industrias más globalizadas están agrupadas en las regiones costeras. Nuestro análisis indica que la globalización y las economías a escala interna han contribuido a la concentración geográfica y el proteccionismo ha impedido la especialización industrial. Aunque las industrias tienen más probabilidad de ubicarse basándose en ventajas comparativas, las economías a escala externa no han fomentado la concentración industrial. Transición económica Globalización Descentralización Aglomeración Concentración geográfica China

Land use change is not only the consequence of economic growth but also its direct and indirect driver. Based on official land use change data from 2004 to 2008, this study found substantial land use changes in China, with considerable cultivated land conversion into urban, industrial and transportation purposes. Correlation analysis shows a strong association between land use change and absolute GDP expansion. Structural equation analysis indicates that economic growth drives land use change. Industrial land expansion directly stimulates economic growth. Land has been successfully used as a tool to attract foreign investments and to sustain infrastructure investments, indirectly triggering economic growth. The findings suggest that land is not a simple factor of production but a strategic tool for economic development in urban China.

This study investigates the driving forces of land urbanization in China. Drawing upon insights from the institutional perspective, this study argues that fiscal decentralization tightens local budget constraints, stimulating local governments to urbanize land to relieve fiscal distress. Political centralization triggers interregional competition among government officials for better economic performance, inspiring local governments to employ land development to mobilize more capital investment for growth. Based on official land-use change data from 2002 to 2008 for prefectural cities, and the application of spatial econometric models, this study presents empirical evidence to support these theoretical arguments. Results imply that fiscal and political incentives derived from land development drive China’s land urbanization process. This study enriches the urbanization literature by providing an institutional understanding of rapid land urbanization in a transitional economy.

Evolutionary economic geography (EEG) indicates that regional industrial development is path dependent. The empirical studies in EEG however have not paid sufficient attention to the importance of global linkages nor the role of regional institutions in driving industrial dynamics. Based on firm level data of four-digit manufacturing industries during 1998 to 2008 in China, we find that Chinese regions branch into new industries technologically related to the existing industrial portfolio and related industries are less likely to exit. Further analysis reveals that global linkages, economic liberalization and state involvement not only create favourable conditions to allow a larger role of technological relatedness but also generate opportunities for Chinese regions to create new paths of industrial development.

Recent studies have argued that regional diversification emerges as a path-dependent process. Developed countries that industrialize do so first from core areas in an uneven industry space and have more opportunities to jump to new related industries and sustain economic growth than do developing countries that jump from peripheral areas. Can developing countries/regions jump further to break these path-dependent trajectories? Based on China’s export data, we show that regions can make such a jump by investing in extra-regional linkages and internal innovation. The effects of these two sets of variables vary across regions and industries.