The book conducts a comprehensive research study on China's urbanization. It puts forward three theoretical development models of urban planning in China, i.e., the politics-oriented city, the economy-oriented city and the human-oriented cultural city. It makes objective evaluations of the development models of the politics-oriented city and the economy-oriented city. It suggests that relations between the government and the market should be straightened out to solve the hangovers of the development model of the politics-oriented city, and eco-civilization development and cultural development should be put on the top of the government's agenda in order to cope with the recurring problems and complications brought about by the development model of the economy-oriented city.

Liu Shilin, PhD, Professor in School of Media & Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He has served as an expert member of the national "13th Five-Year Plan" development plan, and the person in charge of the "Annual Report on China's Urbanization Process" by the Ministry of Education. His research interests are urban science and cultural communication.