ABSTRACT
Globalization is a process in which productive factors such as goods, services and labour forces in various countries flow across spatial constraints and are distributed through the market system. Different countries and regions adjust their economic structure according to a new international division of labour. Globalization is not only an economic process but also an impetus to impel all countries and different regions to change their social structure, political structure and cultural values. As China adopted open policies after the 1980s and decided to compete in the global export market, it changed the economic model from that of a planned economy towards a market-oriented economy, and started down the road towards reducing its welfare function, similar to the shrinking of the welfare state. Therefore, community development at grassroots level serves more social functions during the period of socioeconomic reform, revealing the nature of global-local forces. The force of globalization penetrates deeply into local societies, promoting community development and social transitions. It changes and reconstructs the socioeconomic structure, and makes community building a global trend. On the other hand, local socio-cultural and socio-political factors exist and strongly influence the community development process with local characteristics.
