By Sun Zhiyan, Research Department of Development Strategies and Regional Economy, DRC

Research Report, No.291, 2020 (Total 6035) 2020-12-9

Abstract: The urbanization of the Yellow River Basin is in the middle and late period of rapid development. “Population flow to urbanized areas” and “big cities with small urban areas” are the prominent features in this region. Recently, cities with dual contraction of population and employment have appeared in the middle reach. In view of the ecological and environmental conditions in the Yellow River Basin, this paper proposes that high-quality urbanization in this region need to be promoted with the bottom line of ecological, energy and food security and the collaboration of the whole basin. The coordinated development mechanism for the whole basin needs to be set up first to steadily advance urbanization and push ahead the transition from “land-centered” urbanization to “population-centered” urbanization. We need to follow the basic laws of population flow and regional economic development, rationally view the “urban contraction” phenomenon in the process of urbanization, and adjust the previous planning benchmark for population growth. It is also necessary to accelerate the introduction of ecological technology, new energy and digital technology in the Yellow River Basin, propel the transformation of the ways of production and lifestyle in the whole basin and reduce the negative impact of urbanization on the ecological environment.

Keywords: Yellow River Basin, high-quality development, new urbanization, urban contraction