Thesis (Ph.D.)--Harvard University, 1999. / Adviser: Philip Kuhn. Includes bibliographical references.

Interaction between Taiwan and China has increased remarkably in recent decades. From being complete enemies in 1949 to the momentum created by the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in 2010, both countries have come a long way. This thesis focuses on the extent of interaction and cooperation between businesses and Chinese local authorities in the Chinese Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Pearl River Delta (PRD) and their impact on Taiwanese investment. The Chinese central government has expressly set out its policies of encouragement of specific preferential treatment, and the researcher seeks to answer: to what degree in fact local governments share central government objectives and implement such preferential policies in their areas (including by way of their own policies), and what are the factors governing their decisions. It also explains how the local authorities and local Taiwanese investors (taishang) have interacted. To that end, it analyses an important set of relationships: that between Chinese central and local governments; between the Taiwanese government and Taiwanese business elites; and between Taiwanese investors and Chinese local governments in the YRD and PRD. This study places trans-border interactions in the context of globalization, regionalism and economic integration. China's overriding goal of uniting Taiwan with the PRC has remained constant but the method of achieving this objective has modified, adapting to the global environment, and its vision of a growing economy through its more recent national plans. Emphasis is now on greater economic linkages with Taiwan's economy, thus creating Taiwanese dependence on China's prosperity. Beyond economic reasons it is also hoped that greater connections between Chinese and Taiwanese will strengthen their sense of shared identity, thus making for unification via a "soft landing". This thesis examines the opportunities and constraints that Taiwanese businesses in the YRD and the PRD have in practice encountered, in order to determine whether Chinese local bureaucrats are a help or hindrance in this broader political objective of preferential treatment. It compares Taiwanese businesses with other overseas investors in both secondary and tertiary sectors in the two localities. The research methodology used has included semi-structured elite interviews in China and Taiwan between 2008 and 2010 with relevant decision-makers, namely Taiwanese investors, non-Taiwanese foreign investors, Chinese and Taiwanese government officials. In order to obtain qualitative insights into Chinese local authorities' viewpoints, attitudes and strategy of their approaches to the Taiwanese businesses in China, as well as knowledge of how Taiwanese businesses develop their business activities in China, the main method of data collection in this thesis is therefore in the form of elite interviews. The research concludes that while Taiwanese investors generally do get preferential treatment from Chinese local governments as compared with other investors, there is no general rule which can give them assurance of this. From an examination of several criteria influencing local governments, it seems that much depends on personal relations (guanxi) with Chinese officials, Chinese society being still heavily influenced by traditional attitudes and relationships. Further, the application of laws is still guided by 'rule of man' instead of 'rule of law'. Company location, size and type of industry are other important factors in the application of the preferential policies. Moreover, the incentives that Taiwanese investors have previously received are gradually decreasing, mainly for two reasons. One is the evolution of Chinese central government's plans, aiming to achieve their objectives for economic development of the country, while also making for a wider distribution of wealth and giving greater support to Chinese domestic companies. The other is because of the increased role of local governments, allowing them to set their own initiatives; their response is found to have been to put their localities' interests first and act more independently and pragmatically to changes in their local circumstances. This thesis has made a contribution to the application of methodology by its in-depth analysis and diversity of people interviewed, and to existing literature by exploring the less-developed area of cross-strait political economy studies. However, the qualitative nature of this study and its reliance on a situation which is subject to constant change provide room for further examination by others with different backgrounds or may usefully be looked at again in the light of additional information, such as larger samples of interviews, a different methodology such as quantitative methods, different variables such as Chinese domestic companies, different regions of China, or developments in the countries and regions under study.

During the past decade, the high-speed rail (HSR) has got momentum in China, and a number of lines have been put into operation. However, it is noted that the HSR development in China is quite different from that in other regions. The discrepancies are mainly embodied in the duality of HSR types, the diversity of station locations, and the mixed-speed and cross-rail-type train running scheme. These characteristics have considerable impacts on the HSR stations in terms of the external accessibility in the HSR network as well as the internal accessibility in the cities. Based on the comparative study on the accessibility of main HSR stations in Yangtze River Delta, it is discovered that compared with the conventional rail (CR), the HSR has significantly improved the external accessibility of various cities. It is also found that the HSR has further enhanced the hub status of big cities in the rail network, while the differences among the other cities have been reduced, since the small cities have benefited much more from the HSR than the medium cities. Besides, introducing a new HSR line would improve the external accessibility of cities not only in the HSR network but also in the CR network, due to substantial increases in the efficiency of the whole rail system. In terms of the internal accessibility, it is found that the location choice of stations has significant impacts on the accessibility of HSR stations in cities, and the newly built stations have much lower accessibility due to their remote locations and the under-developed transport facilities and services connecting to them. Overall, for a complete journey by the HSR, the improvement in the external accessibility has made the internal accessibility of HSR stations more critical and sensitive. In this sense, more efforts should be paid to improve the urban transport system so as to fully utilize the positive effects brought about by the HSR. / published_or_final_version / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

With the rise of cities as geographical units, there have been a growing number of municipal partnerships and networks. Government-led intercity cooperation at regional scale—regional city-to-city (C2C) cooperation booms in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in the last two decades. Urban competitiveness is a concept tied to intercity competition that decides the relative position of cities in urban ranking. In regional C2C cooperation, urban competitiveness serves as the asset of partner-cities and usually as one of the primary targets of the cooperation. However, there is a general lack of studies on the influence of urban competitiveness on regional C2C cooperation. The introduction of the perspective of urban competitiveness is an approach of developing a comprehensive framework connecting factors of regional C2C cooperation. The objective of this research is to analyze the influence of urban competitiveness on regional C2C cooperation in China’s local context. In this study, the added value of regional C2C cooperation is divided into added value of urban competitiveness and political added value brought by intervention from upper-level governments. Three typology of C2C cooperation (i.e. hybrid, hierarchical and spontaneous) have been identified. Three cases in the YRD region including the Jiangyin-Jingjiang Industrial Park of Jiangsu Province, Suzhou-Suqian Industrial Park, and Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park Haining Sub-park are selected for case studies accordingly. This study indicates that urban competitiveness and government intervention are crucial to regional C2C cooperation. Urban competitiveness is essential in regional C2C partnership maintenance, while intervention from upper-level governments is effective and efficient in strategy formulation and partner selection. The measurement of urban competitiveness in the YRD region in 2002, 2005, and 2008 indicates the partner-city with relatively larger urban competitiveness is more likely to assume a leading role in the C2C partnership. Noticeably, it is found that the intervention from the provincial government tends to consolidate such impact. The measurement also reveals that urban competitiveness in the YRD region is transforming from an investment-driven stage to an innovation- and human capital-driven stage. Noticeably, the increasing weighting of basic factors in the building of urban competitiveness found in the YRD region is hard to be explained by the mainstream urban competitive advantage theories. Therefore, a localization of the theories is advocated by this research. Imprints of China’s local context transpire in the three cases, including economic decentralization and simultaneous political centralization. The role of provincial government is weakened in China’s political restructuring. However, revealed by the case studies, intervention from provincial government to regional C2C cooperation is still observed to be effective in terms of strategy formulation and negotiation. With the rise of public-private partnership focusing on investment and economic growth, as well as strong government intervention in regional C2C cooperation, the three cases reflect China’s urban entrepreneurialism. Furthermore, a recent shift in China’s urban entrepreneurialism has been found in the region, which is the increasing emphasis on environmental care for sustainable development. This recent shift accords with the global movement toward environmentalism for sustainable development. The underlying logic and reasons are different from those in the West, resting upon the different nature of involvement and governing process. The findings of this research contribute to a better understanding of the relations between urban competitiveness and regional C2C cooperation in China’s local context and the role of governments. As one of the most developed regions in China, the experiences in the YRD region can shed light on the development of other developing areas. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

[Truncated abstract] Environmental changes have had major impacts on past human societies across the globe, and a better understanding of this human-environment interaction is necessary for building societies with resilience towards future environmental change, and to effectively conserve areas of natural environments into the future. Regions such as the Yangtze delta, that have a long history of rice cultivation (dating to at least ca. 7000 BP) and a high density of prehistoric sites, provide an ideal backdrop to study both long-term human-environment interactions, and the environmental impacts of agricultural societies. This study aims to provide Holocene palaeoenvironmental reconstructions for three study sites in the Yangtze delta region, with the principle objectives of detecting human activity – particularly that associated with the development of rice agriculture – and identifying environmental changes within the palaeoenvironmental records. A parallel aim is to develop the use of quantitative biomarker and compound specific isotope analyses in Holocene palaeoenvironmental investigations, including in the detection of early agricultural environments, through analysis of sedimentary deposits. Palaeoenvironmental records for the three study sites, Qingpu, Guangfulin and Liangzhu, cover the time period from ca. 12,000 to ca. 400 BP. '...' Greater proportions of coniferous and deciduous taxa early in the records (prior to ca. 7000 BP) indicate comparatively cooler conditions, while the increased abundance of Chenopodiaceae during that time suggests both cooler conditions and a greater marine influence in the region. Palaeoenvironmental data obtained during this study suggest agriculture in the delta region to have gradually increased in importance from ca. 7000 – 2400 BP. The Guangfulin study site yielded the earliest evidence of agricultural activity, dating to ca. 7000 BP, principally in the form of a corresponding increase in Poaceae (Oryza comp.) abundance and decline of arboreal forest taxa. Subsequent periods of agricultural intensification are noted at ca. 5360 BP at Liangzhu and ca. 4700 BP at Guangfulin. Following the final period of intensification at Qingpu and Guangfulin (ca. 2400 BP), the extent of cultivated land in the delta region may have been comparable to modern times. Technological development during the early dynasties, particularly the greater availability of iron tools, is likely to have been a major factor driving the agricultural intensification detected ca. 2400 BP. The large tracts of natural vegetation detected by this research prior to ca. 2400 BP, would have afforded a degree of resilience to the human inhabitants of the delta region. Following the contraction of natural vegetation in the delta region, societies would have gained some resilience through access to the extensive trade network of the Chinese state. Resilience acquired through these means may, in part, account for the longevity of agricultural societies in the Yangtze delta region of China.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-68).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-68). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Adviser: Jianfa Shen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-192)

For inter-city cooperation at regional scale: (a) The thesis applies the partnership theory to regional scale, especially for inter-city cooperation. In this study, three different mechanisms of inter-city cooperation are identified, namely, spontaneous partnership, hierarchical partnership and hybrid partnership. Their effectiveness in inter-city cooperation is evaluated in the thesis. (b) The thesis argues that inter-city cooperation is also a process. Three stages, information exchange, thematic cooperation, and common market, are identified. (c) The thesis categorizes inter-city cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta region. Five ideal types of partnership arrangements for thematic cooperation are identified: development partnership, promotional partnership, coordination partnership, resource-based partnership and strategic partnership. (d) The thesis reveals some principles of partner (member city) selection for inter-city cooperation. In addition, according to the roles of actors in partnership building, the thesis classifies them into three types: crucial actors, influential actors and ordinary actors. Urban growth/cross-border urban growth at urban scale: (a) The traditional urban growth coalition approach neglects how "forces" operate above the local/urban scale, especially in globalizing and competitive world today. This thesis provides some insights for this problem and extends traditional urban growth coalition approach by considering the case of cross-border urban growth in China. (b) The thesis enhances the understanding of urban growth coalition in China. It is found that local governments play different roles in various stages of the formation of urban growth coalition. (c) It is found that an anti-coalition is emerging and has been strengthened in the context of land expropriation due to rapid industrial and urban expansion in China. The causes of the emergence of anti-coalitions are examined in the thesis. / Inter-city cooperation and cross-border development in the Yangtze River Delta region are new phenomena and have received much governmental and scholarly attention in recent years. The aim of this research is to examine inter-city cooperation taking place at regional scale and cross-border urban growth at urban scale from partnership perspective. In this study, three typical cases of inter-city cooperation, Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Urban Region Planning, the Forum for the Coordination of Urban Economy of Yangtze River Delta Region and Jiangyin Economic Development Zone in Jingjiang are selected to examine three types of partnership arrangements with different mobilizations, namely, hierarchical partnership, spontaneous partnership and hybrid partnership. The three case studies contribute to the study of inter-city cooperation based on Chinese experiences. Meanwhile, the case of Jiangyin Economic Development Zone in Jingjiang is also a case of cross-border urban growth. The findings from this case not only extend the urban growth coalition approach to the case of cross-border urban growth, but also deepen the understanding of urban growth politics in China. After tracing and examining the process of mobilization and actor interaction in each case, the major findings of this research are as follows: / The findings of this thesis enhance understanding of inter-city cooperation and cross-border urban growth in rapidly changing China. They not only help to improve the effectiveness of existing inter-city cooperation in the delta region, but also shed light on inter-city cooperation elsewhere. Lessons and experiences drawn from Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Urban Region Planning and Jiangyin Economic Zone in Jingjiang shed light on urban region planning/coordinative planning and cross-border development respectively. / Luo Xiaolong. / "June 2005." / Adviser: Jianfa Shen. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2699. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-192). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Gateway is a common term that has appeared mainly in geographical literature in various contexts. The focus on gateway shifts our attention away from “which cities dominate” to “how cities are affected by globalization.” This dissertation aims to (1) justify the imbalanced development between air and maritime transport within gateway cities, and the existence of a multi-port and multi-airport gateway region in coastal China; (2) initially explore an operational framework of the states in the process of gateway planning, formation, and promotion in China; and (3) conceptualize the discourses behind the intervention of the states and the competitions among them in the process of building and developing gateways. With these research objectives in mind, two hypotheses are proposed: (1) the hierarchical gateway systems and the interdependency among multiple airports and multiple ports within a region could be explained by the concept of “administrative capital,” and the development of gateway is affected by various states with different administrative capitals; and (2) the devolution reform in the port and airport sectors could be explained by path dependence, thereby revealing the reasons behind the changing role of the states in developing gateways in different periods. A combination of research methods, actualized in two complementary phases, is used in the study. The Ningbo gateway, as well as gateways (including airports and ports) in the South Yangtze River Delta, is chosen for the case study. First, the interdependency between airports and seaports in the region is analyzed by using annual and monthly data. Second, the role of the states in building and promoting gateways is analyzed by the concept of “administrative capital” and “path dependence,” based on related policies and information obtained from three interviews conducted in Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. The cargo throughputs of multiple airports and multiple ports in a region are found to have fairly strong interdependence on both monthly and annual bases. Therefore, to some extent, the demand for air cargo and seaborne shipments is strongly interdependent at a regional level. With such background, inadequacies in the capacity and connectivity of Ningbo Airport in servicing Ningbo are revealed. Support from the local government is important in the development of gateways. Such development is affected by different administrative ranks of the states and the accumulation of various advantages gained by the states because of their position in the national or regional administrative ladder. This dissertation proposes the concept of “administrative capital” to decode the discourses behind the interdependency between airports and ports in the region, as well as their unbalanced development. Thus, how administrative capital works in a government-dominated economy and leads to the formation of the geographical space of transport gateways is identified. / published_or_final_version / Geography / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy