Urbanization and Mobility in China: New Patterns and Intermodal Connections
Chinese cities are getting bigger and are also growing into each other. To ensure that the rapidly increasing number of urban residents have access to adequate transportation not only requires increased investment in transportation, but also careful deliberation to allow an optimal tradeoff between different modes of transport as well as a coordinated approach to land development and transport development.
With regard to the built-environment that shapes the environment for everyday travel, Chinese city governments generally carry out carefully conceived spatial planning. Driven by the garden city idea, Chinese cities often plan multi-center spatial structures. The actual end product, however, varies depending on the local context.
Investment in roads alone cannot fuel continuous expansion in China. High-density cities are now ripe for rail transportation investment. Expansion of transportation systems and transit-oriented development also provide a potential solution for congestion problems. Yet there are still challenges to overcome.
Transporting passengers within expanding and high-density urban areas requires a multi-modal approach and transportation hubs that provide intermodal connectivity. Railway stations and airports are typical transportation hubs that not only provide inter-city connectivity, but also function as intra-city transfer hubs.
Inter-connection of transportation systems developed separately by neighboring municipalities is an emerging challenge in developed parts of China. As urban functions extend beyond the administrative boundary of a single municipality, demand for multi-jurisdictional transport services is increasing. The Guangzhou - Foshan case demonstrates the need for a multi-municipality framework for transport planning, investment and management.
Download the full analysis
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
Urbanization and Mobility in China: New Patterns and Intermodal Connections
Author(s)
Related centers and programs
Discover our other research centers and programs
Center for Asian Studies
Asia is a nerve center for multiple global economic, political and security challenges. The Center for Asian Studies provides documented expertise and a platform for discussion on Asian issues to accompany decision makers and explain and contextualize developments in the region for the sake of a larger public dialogue.
The Center's research is organized along two major axes: relations between Asia's major powers and the rest of the world; and internal economic and social dynamics of Asian countries. The Center's research focuses primarily on China, Japan, India, Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific, but also covers Southeast Asia, the Korean peninsula and the Pacific Islands.
The Centre for Asian Studies maintains close institutional links with counterpart research institutes in Europe and Asia, and its researchers regularly carry out fieldwork in the region.
The Center organizes closed-door roundtables, expert-level seminars and a number of public events, including an Annual Conference, that welcome experts from Asia, Europe and the United States. The work of Center’s researchers, as well as that of their partners, is regularly published in the Center’s electronic journal Asie.Visions.
Find out more
Discover all our analyses
The Case for Enhanced France-Philippines Maritime Cooperation
France and the Philippines, two Indo-Pacific nations, can capitalize on their shared interests, needs, and expertise in maritime security and governance, ultimately fostering strategic rapprochement.
France’s maritime security cooperation in the Pacific
France plays a significant role in Pacific maritime security, particularly through the active participation of its overseas territories and the contribution of its stationed armed forces to regional cooperation initiatives.
Taiwan’s Rising Space Program: Building Up Industry, Supporting National Security
Taiwan, known for its leadership in semiconductors and information and communications technology (ICT), is now making significant strides in the space industry. While historically modest, Taiwan’s space program has seen a transformation since 2020, driven by President Tsai Ing-wen’s commitment to expanding the country’s space capabilities. Key milestones include the passage of the Space Development Act and the creation of the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), which has bolstered the resources and visibility of Taiwan’s space ambitions.
AI and Technical Standardization in China and the EU: Diverging priorities and the need for common ground
Given the highly disruptive potential of AI, global cooperation on AI safety and governance is imperative, and yet the deeply transformational potential of AI also ensures that a high level of competition and systemic rivalry is likely unavoidable. How can the EU best manage its complex relationship with China in the field of AI so as to ensure a necessary level of cooperation in spite of competition and rivalry?