Urbanizing China
Most countries at a stage of development similar to China's experienced faster urbanization than industrialization. But the reverse is true in China, largely because the system of land tenure ensures that the reservoir of labor for industrialization and urbanization remains located in country villages, rather than in city slums.
BEIJING – Measured by the percentage of people living in its cities, China’s urbanization rate currently stands at about 48%, according to official statistics. Given that the share of city dwellers was only 18% just 30 years ago, this is remarkable progress.