Analyzing space-time evolution of rural transition in a rapidly urbanizing region: A case study of Suzhou, China

Influenced by globalization, rural transition in developed Western countries has experienced processes of productivism, post-productivism, and multifunctional development. By contrast, rural transition in most developing countries has been accompanied by rapid urbanization, which has become a core topic in geography research. As the world’s largest developing country, China has undergone profound development since the reform and opening-up. Moreover, rural spaces in some eastern coastal areas have entered the stage of reconstruction after decades of industrialization and urbanization. This paper takes Suzhou as the case area and measures the process of rural transition from 1990 to 2015 by constructing an index system. It then analyzes the characteristics of space-time evolution using exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) methods to reveal the influence of economic and social development on rural transition. The results show that rural transition, which generally entails the weakening of rurality and enhancing of urbanity on a macro scale, tends to be heterogeneous across different regions on a micro scale. This paper argues that multifunctionality will be the main future trend of rural transition in rapidly urbanizing areas. The experience in Suzhou could provide an example for establishing policies on sustainable development in rural spaces and achieving urban-rural co-governance.