Introduction

Few scholars can afford to ignore the vast differences in the extent of economic reform and the contrasting patterns of economic development among China's thirty-one provincial units. ^* Chinese and Western scholars alike have done considerable research on the uneven patterns of economic reform and development in post-Mao China. ¹ In order to account for such provincial and regional variations, some highlight the disparate endowments and overseas connections of the provinces while others emphasize the preferential treatment by the central government. ² However, most have neglected the critical role of provincial leadership in explaining provincial variations in reform and economic accomplishments. ³ This study, therefore, aims to examine the reform experience of China's provinces by focusing on the role of provincial leadership in the initiation and implementation of economic reform. We will examine eight provincial cases and their reform strategies in two policy areas. Our studies of resource allocation include Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shaanxi, and our studies of foreign capital and investment cover Shandong, Fujian, Hainan, and Sichuan. The fol lowing sections of this chapter will discuss the significance of this study, examine the key concepts of province and provincial leadership, outline our research design and analytical framework, and provide a summary of the chapters.