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Chinese City and Regional Planning Systems . LI YU . Farnham and Burlington : Ashgate , 2014. xi + 294 pp. £30.00. ISBN 978-0-7546-7499-3
Book Reviews
In recent years, a growing body of English-language literature has explored the politics and processes of Chinese urbanization. Li Yu's book is the first to offer a systematic overview of the planning institutions that guide such transformation. The book is thus a valuable resource for scholars in Chinese studies, urban planning and related fields. It offers an effective introduction to Chinese planning, and educators will find it useful as a reference text for courses on Chinese governance institutions and international planning systems. This is particularly true of the latter chapters, each of which is devoted to a different variety of plan: regional, comprehensive, regulatory, and strategic. Those more familiar with Chinese planning may also find fresh insights, particularly regarding the historical origins of specific planning institutions. In addition, the case studies that accompany each chapter offer an unexpected and rewarding introduction to Xiamen's planning history.
Throughout the book, Yu argues that contemporary Chinese planning has emerged in response to marketization, and its failures represent an inability to effectively adapt to the market system....