ABSTRACT
China since the late 1970s has implemented economic reforms and has experienced profound changes that require a careful assessment. In this research I have examined patterns and mechanisms of regional development and inequality in China, especially during the reform period. I have argued that three sets of mechanisms—the central state, local states and local conditions, and global forces—are particularly important to understanding the changing patterns of regional development in China. In this chapter, I summarize the major findings of this research and discuss its theoretical and policy implications.
