Dynamic Evaluation on Regional Tourism Competitiveness： Urban Agglomeration of Shandong Peninsula, Eastern China

The article establishes the appraisal index system for entire urban agglomeration and its interior cities individually, concretely including five aspects： driving forces for tourism development, the level of tourism development, tourism impacts, tourism economic connection and tourism contributions of different cities to the whole urban agglomeration. As tourism competitiveness has the characteristics of comprehensiveness, systematicness and dynamicness, the article attempts to apply the structural prediction means of system dynamics to evaluating tourism competitiveness, aiming to provide some research methods and analysis ideas for tourism competitiveness measurement and trends analysis in urban agglomeration. Taking Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration as the study area, the article simulates and analyzes the tourism competitiveness trend of the whole region and its interior cities from 2005 to 2020, and the result reflects that integrated development and regional combination of tourism are important means to upgrade tourism competitiveness in this region.     

A Study on Theoretical Model and Applied Evaluation of Land Use Performance of High-tech Zone in Urban Fringe： A Case Study in Haidian District, Beijing

High-tech industrial zone is an important carrier for constructing innovative cities. It also plays an important role in implementing the national independent innovative strategy. However, most of the high-tech industrial zones have many problems in their development process, such as efficiency of land use, weakness of oriented function and lack of land intensive. To solve these problems, the authors of this paper introduced the concept of land use performance and established the theoretical model to assess the land use performance of high-tech industrial zones. The model consists of the following three-dimensional parts： land use benefit, land use efficiency and innovative function. Based on this theory model, an index system which was composed of three secondary indictors, eight tertiary indictors and 37 fourth-grade indictors was set up to evaluate the land use performance of high-tech zone. To avoid the defects of plus model and function model, the authors brought out a three-dimensional evaluation model to examine the index of the land use performance of the high-tech industrial parks, which equals to the evaluation indicator system of land use performance of high-tech zone based on the above research. The authors examined the land use performance of five different high-tech industrial parks in Haidian District, Beijing City. The results indicated that the indicator system performs better in the aspect of evaluating land use benefit, land use efficiency and function of the high-tech industrial zone compared with other models.     

Factors influencing the quality of rural human settlements in a peripheral metropolitan area based on a structural equation model:A case study from Beijing

Rural human settlement is a significant indicator of the living standards of rural residents,and its improvement can contribute to promoting the positive interaction between inhabited environment and the social,economic,and resource environment in the countryside.Based on 557 valid questionnaires of satisfaction evaluation of human settlement in the peripheral metropolitan area of Beijing,this paper analyzed the elemental characteristics and factors influencing human settlement quality using multivariate statistical analysis and a structural equation model.The result shows that,first,the rural residents in a peripheral metropolitan area of Beijing are generally satisfied with the quality of human settlement(satisfaction rate is 66.2%).Specifically,the natural and social environment of the countryside is excellent and harmonious and corresponding standard of countryside infrastructure is advanced,but the quality of public services and follow-up management of facilities are in urgent need of improvement and the imbalance between revenue and expenditure of rural households has led to a continuous increase in the pressures of life.Second,factors such as social atmosphere,appearance of the village,entertainment,living costs,fundamental public services,and production costs have significant effects on human settlement quality in this peripheral metropolitan area,with social atmosphere as the main one.Living costs and supporting services are the main constraints to improvement in the quality of human settlement.     

Theoretical and Empirical Study on Urban Population Cawing Capacity： Case of Haidian District in Beijing

The measurement of urban population carrying capacity is the basis for cities＇ sustainable development. However, the traditional study on population carrying capacity which was based on food supply is not applicable to the single urban area. This paper built a model for the analysis of urban carrying capacity, and took Haidian District in Beijing as an example to calculate the urban carrying capacity of Haidian District in the future, which was the basis for the improvement of the population carrying capacity. This study would also provide a reference to the measurement of the urban population carrying capacity for other cities and districts in China.     

Strategic Thinking for Sustainable Development of Mining-Based Cities in China

Cities based on mining are distinctive from other cities in China. Their heavy dependence on minerals, a relatively undiversified industrial structure, seriously damaged ecological environment and the rather low degree of openness have all reduced their competitiveness, and severely constrained and hindered their sustainable development. In this paper the authors will study mining-based cities from the perspective of sustainable development, first by having a critical review of their features, and then by researching into strategic options to support their sustainable development.     

Strategic Study on Integration of Port and City Development in Rizhao

agglomeration of the Yangtze Delta （UAYD）, one of the most developed regions of China, has witnessed an increasing prevalence in building ecological cities when the ecological cities are pursued by many modern cities, and great achievements have been made in this regard. It is inevitable, however, that certain problems exist during the construction of ecological city, which include but not limited to non-harmonious development of urban complex ecosystem, and the difficulty in quantifying eco-city construction or incomplete quantification in assessing the con- structiori of present and future eco-city. Based on the analysis on social-economic conditions and regional conditions of the UAYD, this paper attempts to set up an index system of eco-cities combining with local characteristics, and to adopt the indices of eco-city, urban harmony, and eco-city colligate to evaluate the ecological level, urban harmonious development and eco-city construction of cities within the UAYD. Results indicate that among 15 cities in UAYD, Suzhou City ranks the highest in terms of eco-city construction, whereas Nantong ranks relatively lower; sustainable eco-city construction is possible only when cities are developed in every respect of harmony.     

Cooperative Game Among Cities in Urban Agglomerations and Economical Sustainable Development

This paper analyses redounded profits of cooperation and non-cooperation among cities in urban agglomerations based on game theory. It discusses the problems of economical development among cities with feeble cooperation, and deduces the conclusion that only cooperation of cities produces the maximum profits and realizes Pareto efficiency for cities and urban agglomerations. The paper states that cooperation is the cornerstone of economic sustainable development in urban agglomerations in profits produced by cooperation among cities. Some suggestions to accelerate cooperation among cities are proposed.     

On Index System and Quantitative Assessment of Eco-cities： A Case Study on Urban Agglomeration of the Yangtze Delta

Urban agglomeration of the Yangtze Delta （UAYD）, one of the most developed regions of China, has witnessed an increasing prevalence in building ecological cities when the ecological cities are pursued by many modem cities, and great achievements have been made in this regard. It is inevitable, however, that certain problems exist during the construction of ecological city, which include but not limited to non-harmonious development of urban complex ecosystem, and the difficulty in quantifying eco-city construction or incomplete quantification in assessing the construction of present and future eco-city. Based on the analysis on social-economic conditions and regional conditions of the UAYD, this paper attempts to set up an index system of eco-cities combining with local characteristics, and to adopt the indices of eco-city, urban harmony, and eco-city colligate to evaluate the ecological level, urban harmonious development and eco-city construction of cities within the UAYD. Results indicate that among 15 cities in UAYD, Suzhou City ranks the highest in terms of eco-city construction, whereas Nantong ranks relatively lower; sustainable eco-city construction is possible only when cities are developed in every respect of harmony.     

Research on challenges and strategies for China’s green economy development

The last 20 years have been the fastest economic developing period of China,and China has made great economic achievements through undertaking international industrial transfer.However,undertaking international industrial transfer has brought about severe environmental problems to China and the process of undertaking international industry transfer is also a process of undertaking international transfer of natural resource consumption and environmental pollution.Nowadays,China has the heaviest ecological burden and highest environmental risk in the world,and is gradually losing international competitive advantages among traditional industries.China is facing unprecedented pressure of economic transformation.Besides the advantages like huge domestic demands and abundant civil capital,China faces more challenges in its green economy development.First,China is still in the middle of industrialization and urbanization processes,hence the huge demands for traditional industries will only last 10-15 more years.Meanwhile,China lacks core technologies for transforming traditional industries,which means these industries will have high shut-down risks.Second,the domestic market share for new green industries is limited,since the market is dominated by traditional energy industries.Third,the value of land,water,mineral,and other natural resources is extremely underestimated because the environmental cost is excluded from the enterprises’cost-benefit calculation.China should foster and expand green industries based on domestic demands,and then strive for competitive advantages in the international market in the future.Therefore,China should focus on the following four points in order to promote green industry development:establishing a forced-upgrading-mechanism for traditional industries,an incentive-development-mechanism for new green industries and a TFP-based(total factor productivity based)economic development evaluation system;promoting the integration of new-type urbanization,new emerging industries,and new employments;taking the model of"technology innovating-patent formulating-standard establishing-market guiding"to enhance the global competitiveness of China’s new emerging industries;and building green consumption patterns in the whole society.     

Development of the Greening of Industrial Firms in the Cities along Taihu Lake： A Case Study in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province

Under the globalization, the coastal China becomes a hot area of the international manufacturing investment due to its priority location, excellent environment, lower labor and land costs, etc. However, the fast industrialization has aroused the great demolishment to the local ecological environment. For example, the heavy water eutrophication in Taihu Lake has affected the source of drinking water for the cities around the lake. Anyway, in order to keep the economic increase and reduce the resource ex- pense and pollution at the same time, it is necessary to encourage the greening of industrial enterprises actively for sustainable de- velopment. On the basis of the investigation of industrial enter- prises in Wuxi city within Taihu Basin, the relatively developed region in coastal China, this paper analyzed the development process of green industry. This article concluded that governmen- tal principal is the main pressure for enterprises to protect envi- ronment while the market factor plays a part role. Moreover, en- terprises in the high technology development zone work better in environmental protection than those in the villages and towns, while the large enterprises work better than those small enterprises.     

A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Growth:A Case Study for Jinan Municipality,China

China is experiencing a process of rapid industrialization and urbanization at the cost of agricultural land and environment,particularly in the costal areas. This study takes Jinan as a case presenting a time-series analysis of urban land expansion from 313 to 2003. The results show that the urban expansion of Jinan city mainly took place in the last 100 years, especially after the economic reform in 1978. Social development and economic growth,urban population growth and migration policies were factors driving the urban land expansion. Urban sprawl resulted in a disappearance of wetlands and a great loss of agricultural land, and over-pumping of ground water that led to disappearance of the city‘s feature,namely “the city of springs“.     

Luoyang Dual Spatial Criterion Ecological City Construction

The construction of an ecological city has two foundational platforms： the small platform, namely urban district or simply called as ＂city ecosystem＂; and the big platform, namely around city district in certain region scope or also referred to as ＂city-region ecosystem＂. The construction of an ecological city must be launched in the dual spatial criteria： in city （urban district） criterion--optimizing the city ecosystem; in city-region （city territory） criterion-optimizing the city-region ecosystem. Luoyang has the bright characteristic and the typical image within cities Of China, and even in the world. The construction of an ecological city in dual spatial criteria--the city and the cityregion has the vital significance to urbanization advancement and sustainable development in Luoyang. In city-region criterion, the primary mission of Luoyang＇s ecological city construction is to create a fine ecological environment platform in its city territory. In city criterion, the basic duty of Luoyang＇s ecologic city construction is to enhance the ecological capacity and benefit of the central city.     

Opportunities and challenges for development of urbanization in Western China

Urban and rural dual structure in Western China is obvious.The economic development of the central cities is relatively quick while that of the rural areas is lagging behind.The speeding up of urbanization contributes to the intensively uncoordinated development of urban and rural areas.Besides,the eco-fragile environment,shortage of available water resources,adverse geographic location,and relatively backward social economy restrict the development of urbanization in Western China.However,Western China also has the advantages of backwardness.This paper analyzes the present situation and development trend of urbanization in Western China.The results show that Western China has basically formed a development pattern with"industry promotes agriculture and urban leads to village".Therefore,combined with the present situation of Western China,this paper describes and analyzes the opportunities and challenges that may appear in the process of urbanization in Western China,puts forward the development pattern in which urban and rural areas can gain mutual support and co-development,and provides related recommendations.     

Research of the Response of Ecosystem to LUCC in Miyun County, Beijing： Based on Ecosystem Services Valuation

Miyun County,located in the northeast of Chinese capital Beijing,was underwent remarkable variations in land use in recent years.This paper aimed to detect changes in land use of Miyun from 1997 to 2005,and to qualify the response of ecosystem to LUCC based on ecosystem services valuation.With two-periods TM images,we got land use change data,and then ecosystem services values were calculated using ecosystem services valuation coefficients proposed by Chinese scholar Xie Gaodi.Results showed that water area,farm land and unused land decreased while residential land,forest land,grassland and orchard land increased during the study period.The loss of ESV was RMB 206 million and the main reason was the decrease of water area and farm land area.As for spatial variation,there were most dramatically land use change and ESV decline in reservoir ecological protection region.The coefficient sensitivity analysis indicates that valuation coefficients used in the study are suitable and results are reasonable.The driving forces of ESV loss were rapid population growth and economic development.More work should be done to make eco-environment stay healthy.     

Coordination Mechanism of the Legal Protection of Resource Security with Its Relative Laws

The basis of the legal protection of resource security is its relative laws, which have four main characteristics, which are foundational, divergent, comprehensive and of long-term social benefits in view. The coordination mechanism of the legal protection of resource security with its relative laws meets the needs of the sustainable development of the economy, society and environment. It also facilitates and is facilitated by the modern transformation of the legal system in China, and upholds the legal system as a logically self-perfecting entity. Furthermore, this coordination bears scientific feasibility.     

Coordinated management of energy and mineral resources development and control of pollution in Western China

Natural environment is fragile and harsh in Western China where rich energy and mineral resources are endowed,enabling energy and mining development to become a pillar industry of the regions socioeconomic development This paper identified the key issues and challenges faced by eco-environment as a result of energy and mining development in Western China.We argued mat mining and energy development have caused various environmental problems,and that environmental degradation is increasingly prominent in Western China,hence,we request coordinated resource development and environmental protection for sustainable development in this region.Based on the above recognitions,this paper put forward relevant policy recommendations:promoting green development vigorously and developing new green energy;formulating and enforcing environmental protection laws and regulations,improving ecological compensation mechanism;establishing green threshold;strengthening integration between western resource-based cities and coastal region to get rid of the"resource curse";improving energy and mineral resources development stakeholders’involvement;coordinating resource taxes and local development funds;and strengthening independent third-party supervision in the whole process of energy and mining development     

Temporal-spatial Characteristics of the Urbanization of Rural Land in Xinjiang

Relying on remote sensor technology, GIS and Land-sat TM digital images, the authors use spatial and statistical analysis to examine the temporal-spatial characteristics of the change caused by urban Construction in Xinjiang＇s rural areas from the end of the 1980s to the end of the 1990s. The primary findings show the following： 1） The urban construction in rural areas has increased drastically. The expansion speed of urban land use has accelerated over the past decade. The sub-land use changes caused by the urbanization of rural are characterized by salient regional differentiation among the three main regions and among the 85 counties of Xinjiang. 2） The shift of land use is mostly characterized by cultivated land and grassland being used for urban and industrial projects. Moreover, this change of land use is characteristic of regional differences. 3） Factors of rural-urban construction land use changes in Xinjiang, are undoubtedly affected by natural environment, social, economic conditions, and to a larger degree by population growth, GDP development and industrial development.     

Correlation between Urban Land Change Process and Socioeconomic Development since the 1980s in Jiangsu Province

Studying the process and characteristics of urban land change in different phases of urbanization and different economic development is much important for understanding urban land change and management at a macro level. Taking the example of Jiangsu Province, the present paper studied the correlation between urban land change process and socioeconomic development from 1981 to 2003 on the basis of statistical data. The results showed the following three aspects. First, urban land area has changed periodically and the research duration can be divided into two periods: from 1981 to 1994 and from 1995 to 2003. In each period, the changing trend is the same, i.e. slow at first and then quick. Studying from the comprehensive change status, the characteristic of fluctuant change is significant with three acute change pinnacles in 1988, 1991 and 2002 which were corresponded to turning point years of economic development phases of Jiangsu Province respectively. Second, the synchronization between urban land change and urbanization level change is not strict. With the evolution of urbanization phases, the change pace of urbanization level increased remarkably, but urban land change rate did not increase significantly accordingly. Third, the area of urban land has exponentially increased with the increase of per capita GDP. In different economic development levels classified by per capital GDP, land resource cost for economic development is different, respectively 29.01 hm2, 26.34 hm2, 26.22 hm2, and 11.14 hm2 for the increase of 100 million RMB GDP when the per capita GDP is under 1000, 1000–2000, 2000–5000 and over 5000 RMB.     

City Environment Art and Sustainable Development

The development of everthing follows its own law, which does not change at people’s own sweet will. Therefore, we must study the development of things so as to grasp the essence of things in their deep meanings, explore the direction of their de- velopment, and make them better serve the people. As a part of the thought of sustainable development, city environment art will be of active significance to the perfection of the thought and will also be the concrete embodiment of the synthetic index of economic development. Such a thesis, starting from the macroscopic angle, and relying on the leading thought of sustainable development, takes hold of the development trend of city environment art, and explores the various problems that have arisen in city environment in the process of city management by combining thoughts on city planning, so as to guide urban harmonious development theoretically. The present paper expounds on the views comprehensively and, through the synthetic analysis on city planning, city environment, art esthetics and the thought of sustainable development, makes a detailed analysis of the effects of the present rapid city development on city environment.     

Eco-environmental Impact Assessment of the Change of Regional Industrial Structure and Regulative Measures

Acting as an important driving force for the change of the regional land use, the change of industrial structure also has some influences on the ecological environment. The assessment and mechanism analysis of these influences will be beneficial to the sustainable development of regional economy and the improvement of relationships between man and earth. Taking Chuzhou City in Anhui Province as an example, on the basis of a qualitative analysis of the influence of the development of different industry on the regional ecological environment, this paper builds the influence factor of industrial structure on natural environment and the influence index of industrial structure on natural environment, makes a quantitative assessment of the change of the industrial structure and its comprehensive influences on the ecological environment in the Chuzhou City from 1974 to 1995. Studies show that, during the analysed period, Chuzhou City＇s industrial structure has changed markedly, having undergone two transformations. The influence of industrial structure on natural environment from 1974 to 1995 increased as a whole, while from 1996 to 2004, the influence of industrial structure on natural environment decreased year-on-year. These changes indicate that the regional change of industrial structure results in better ecological effects. Finally, we propose appropriate regulatory measures according to our research results.