Shaping Regional Development Patterns Through State Spatial Management
国家管控对区域发展格局的塑造过程研究

National spatial management is one of the important strengths in shaping regional development patterns. From the perspective of state control, this paper analyzed the positive role and negative influence of national spatial management during the shaping process of area function patterns. Five-year planning is one way that China shapes its regional development pattern. Under a planned economy, most state investment was focused on inland areas and promoting economic development, which reduced differences between coastal and inland areas. The State's basic construction investment proportion in inland areas was 66.8% and in coastal areas was 30.90% in the Third Five Year Plan (1966-1970) and 53.50% and 39.40%, respectively, in the Forth Five Year Plan (1971-1975). The percentage of industrial output value for inland areas increased from 28% in the early 1950s to 36% in the 1970s. From the 1960s to 70s the economic growth rate of coastal areas dropped from 17.5% to 5.1%. Poverty in rural areas was still very large during this period. As China opened and began economic reform, the market economy system resulted in the eastern coastal areas leading development as they became China's economic growth engine. Over the past 30 years China has maintained rapid economic growth and the regional development and function pattern has changed. Two large economic plate structures were shaped: the developed belt with southeastern coastal areas at the core; and the undeveloped central and the western regions that supplied material and human resources to coastal areas. The implementation of regional harmonious developmental strategies in the Tenth Five Year Plan and Eleventh Five Year Plan have effectively narrowed the gap between urban and rural areas. The implementation of major function-oriented zoning will make China's regional function more reasonable and effective.