The Geographical Transformation of China

This book presents an account and interpretation of the transformation of the geography of China in the years since the start of China’s policy of reform and opening up as seen through the eyes of Chinese geographers.

Each chapter illustrates the ways in which the particular characteristics of China’s economic and social order (economic organisation, political system and cultural model and values) have shaped the geographical environment and the ways of life and work of Chinese people: enterprises, households and government organisations.

The book helps readers to understand the way China works and how the workings of Chinese society shape (and are shaped by its) geography. The book also pays attention to the ways in which China’s natural environment and resource endowments and the humanly created environment interacts with economic, political and cultural mechanisms.

Michael Dunford is Visiting Professor at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing and Emeritus Professor at the University of Sussex.

Weidong Lui is a Professor in Economic Geography and Assistant Director of IGSNRR of CAS. He is also the Deputy Director of the CAS Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modelling, and the Team Leader of the Regional Development Report of China (eight volumes of the Report have been published in Chinese by the Commercial Press).