Search

Development zones have been an important spatial approach to promoting economic development since China's reform and opening-up. They have also been major contributors to the processes of China's industrialization and urbanization. Along with improvements in the worldwide industrial division of labor and the gradual implementation of China's development zones' Go Global strategy, it is necessary for Africa, a hot spot of global industrialization in recent years, to learn from China's development zone model. By attracting China's capital, technology and enterprises to Africa via Sino-African co-built development zones, a pattern of high complementarity and mutual development between China and Africa can be formed which does favor further improvement of the global industrial division of labor. In order to study the applicability and prospect of China's development zone model in Africa as per the above-mentioned international situation, this paper first sorts out the development course of China's development zones and discusses their roles in China's industrialization and urbanization. Subsequently, this paper analyzes the status quo of industrial development in Africa as a whole and the differences in industrial development between China and Africa, aiming to justify the timing of industrial transfer from China to Africa by constructing Sino-African co-built development zones. Lastly, this paper analyzes the current situation of six Sino-African co-built development zones by focusing on their operation modes, industry types and investment promotion models. In the authors' view, Sino-African co-built development zones can function as a new window of China-African cooperation, a new carrier of African industrialization, and a new engine of global industrial restructuring. China should adhere to the general principles of 'Sino-African Integration, Multi-Cooperation, Mutual Benefit, Scientific Location, Systematic Planning, Cluster Growth and Open Development' in the planning and construction of development zones in Africa, effectively promoting Africa as the very important part of the global industry system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of abandoned mine subsidence on transportation facilities is a growing concern due to rapid urbanization and industrialization in China. Transportation infrastructures are being or will be developed in many areas with potential subsidence problems. Consequently, it is necessary to assess and mitigate the long-term and progressive residual subsidence effects on transportation facilities in such regions. This paper presents an integrated framework to identify and mitigate the risks of abandoned mine subsidence on highway infrastructures. The framework comprises four steps: comprehensive investigations of abandoned mine features; identification of subsidence mechanisms, conceptual model construction and risk assessment; optimization of remedial solutions and development of a management strategy. A case study that demonstrates a successful application of the framework is also presented in this paper. In this example, a technique that integrates remote-sensing analysis throughout surface features with conventional investigation methodologies is proved to be a potential tool to detect and understand areas that might be at risk of surface subsidence. Based on the analysis of the representative failure mechanisms observed in situ and the influencing factors, a methodology has been developed to assess the geohazards associated with mine subsidence. Moreover, the proposed criteria for stability classification allowed us to define three geohazard levels on a regional scale. Subsequently, based on a brief review of remedial works made in China, the paper gives some recommendations to identify the most appropriate solutions to mitigate residual subsidence risk on transportation infrastructures. Such integrated decision-making framework will assist practitioners and regulators in identifying the potential risks of residual subsidence on transportation routes, optimising the most appropriate alignments, and assessing risk management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pace and scale of China's contemporary urbanization are stunning. This paper reviews process and the underlying driving forces of China's urbanization between 1949-2015. Contemporary China's urbanization has experienced four stages, and each has had different driving forces: 1) economic re-construction and industrialization-led urbanization (1949-1977); 2) economic reform and market-led urbanization (1978-1995); 3) economic globalization and the global-local urbanization (1996-2010); and 4) the land-economy-led urbanization (2010-). These urbanization processes and driving forces will undoubtedly provide scientific reference and have significant implications for developing countries, especially African countries, to formulate their urbanization public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]