Urbanization does not mean the blind pursuit of large-scale city construction, says an article in China Youth Daily. An excerpt follows:

Urbanization is an indispensable path to modernization. However, in recent years, some local governments in China have been so eager to join this campaign that they have ignored practical conditions.

In some regions, urbanization has been regarded as the main index of political achievement. Dominated by this perception, local governments have tried to push for and accelerate urbanization while disregarding local economic conditions.

As a result, they have not realized the expected effects through the man-made "urbanization" process. In contrast, a serious waste of resources has occurred. Despite their urbanization process, the living conditions of residents have not improved.

In fact, the development of a city should not be gauged purely by its scale. Instead, it should be mainly judged by its functions and quality. A haphazard pursuit of large-scale building projects without scientific planning could increase a city's costs and hinder its future development.

It is well known that urbanization is based on strict development index requirements, including local economic forces.

Local authorities, while planning urbanization drives, should have the interests of the public in their hearts and really take into account their region's long-term interests and social development. They should not become preoccupied with personal political merit and pursue illusory prosperity through the construction of "image projects."

(China Daily December 6, 2005)