A new pathway to urbanization in China? The land trading policy and practice in Yandu Xincun, Xianghe county, Hebei province

Abstract

This chapter examines a new land policy known as Zengjian Guagou (i.e., “bundling up addition with reduction” – abbreviated as BAR hereafter) which has been gradually developed and implemented since the year 2000. The main research questions include how is BAR implemented? Who are the main stakeholders associated with its implementation? And what is the impact of BAR on the insitu urbanization in terms of employment and lifestyle change? These questions were addressed by analyzing Yandu Xincun, a village in Hebei Province as a case study. Data were collected through field observations and key informant interviews. Findings demonstrated that the policy contributed to significant urban expansi..