The different effects of the determinants of urbanisation on state-sponsored and spontaneous urbanisation in Fujian Province of China

This paper reconsiders the classical theoretical question on the relationship between urbanisation and development and the effects of administrative status and path dependency on urbanisation using the dual-track urbanisation framework. It examines the different effects of the determinants of urbanisation on state-sponsored and spontaneous urbanisation in Fujian Province of China during the 2000-2010 period. Various explanatory variables describing administrative status and demographic and economic conditions were employed to explain the levels of dual-track urbanisation using a multivariate statistical analysis of 67 county-level units. It was found that administrative status affected both state-sponsored and spontaneous urbanisation. The initial level of urbanisation had strong positive effects on state-sponsored and spontaneous urbanisation. Most importantly, the development level was the most significant factor in state-sponsored urbanisation in Fujian, although the secondary sector of the economy had the strongest effect on spontaneous urbanisation. It appears that state-sponsored urbanisation is strongly path dependent and has advanced in highly developed areas, whereas spontaneous urbanisation is more dynamic and led by the expansion of the manufacturing sector. The paper reveals the different mechanisms of state-sponsored and spontaneous urbanisation processes in China.