CALL FOR PAPERS CONFERENCE ON URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA 25-26th June, 2015 Suzhou, Jiangsu, P. R. China Along its fast paced economic growth in the last decades, China went through a fast urbanization process since 1977, going from a mostly rural country to an urban society. While China is not the only emerging economy that went through a fast paced urbanization process, some specificities of the Chinese context lead to unique features and challenges. Perhaps one of the best well known feature of the Chinese economy is the household registration system, hukou, which, by limiting mobility of migrants (both rural-urban and urban-urban), affects agglomeration economies and urban growth. Furthermore, the hukou system, by limiting access to public services for migrants, resulted in a segmented urban labour market, where migrants are at a disadvantage relative to local resident, leading to increased income inequality within cities. Another feature of the Chinese economy that has affected urbanization is the reliance on public investment by both public companies and local governments. This has lead to excess public investment in some cities, leading to appearance of ghost towns, and well as a housing bubble in other places. The current investment policy has also affected the urban structure, with some excessively large cities, particularly when compared with the next level cities, leading to increasing income inequality across cities and provinces. Demographic changes, driven by the one child policy, will be one of the major challenges that China will face in sustaining economic growth and urbanization. To address these issues, the Chines Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Construction have launched projects under several smart cities projects, to make cities more efficient and competitive through the use of technology. We would like to invite the submission of papers for the 2 day conference, to bring together Western and Chinese researchers to discuss the past of future of urban development in China. Contributions in the following areas are especially welcomed: Regional and Urban Growth Demography, Internal Migration and Urban Labour Markets Inter and Intra Regional Income Inequality Smart Cities, Innovation and Competitiveness Urban Housing Markets Transport and Infrastructure Regional Policies in China Keynote Speakers: André Rodriguez-Pose - Professor of Economic Geography at London School of Economics; President of the Regional Science Association International Kaizhong Yang Professor of School of Government at Peking University; President of the Regional Science Association of China
Mark Roberts Senior Economist at the World Bank A joint conference organized by: Regional Science Association International (RSAI) Regional Science Association of China (RSAC) Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy, and Society (CJRES) Hosted by: International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) Xi an Jiao tong Liverpool University (XJTLU) Organizers: Steven Brakman, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Tiago Freire, International Business School Suzhou, China Charles van Marrewijk, International Business School Suzhou, China Kaizhong Yang, School of Government, Peking University, President of Regional Science Association of China, China Jiuwen Sun, School of Economics, Renmin University of China, Excutive President of Regional Science Association of China, China. Yuyuan Wen, School of Economics, Renmin University, China Dates: Thursday, 25 th of June, 2015 Friday 26 th June, 2015 Submissions: Researchers interested in participating should submit an abstract (up to 500 words) and full paper by the 15 th of April through the following website - http://events.digitalpapers.org/udc. The working language of the seminar will be English. Only papers written in English will be considered. Presenters will be informed of the decision by the 1 st of May. Travellers to China are reminded that they must obtain a travel visa. Transportation into Suzhou from Shanghai Pudong/Hongqiao International Airport For international students traveling from Shanghai Pudong International Airport: there are three ways of getting to Xi an Jiaotong Liverpool University:
By Air If you arrive at Pudong Airport in Shanghai, please take the airport shuttle bus (approximately 2 hours, the last bus leaves at around 7pm from the airport) and get off at Suzhou Industrial Park Stop ( 苏 州 园 区 站 )*, and then take a taxi to XJTLU or your hotel. If you arrive at Hongqiao Airport, you can take the high-speed train form Hongqiao Railway Station to Suzhou Railway Station or Suzhou SIP Railway Station, or you can take the airport shuttle bus (approximately 1 hour, the last bus leaves around 7:30pm) and get off at Suzhou Industrial Park Stop ( 苏 州 园 区 站 )*, and then take a taxi to XJTLU or your hotel. Remember to ask for ticket to SIP stop ( 园 区 ). Useful link (for reference only): Airport Shuttle Buses By Train On your arrival at Suzhou Railway Station ( 苏 州 火 车 站 ), you can travel to the University by Bus No. 178 (last bus is at 9:30pm from the station) or Fastline No.2 ( 快 线 2 号, last bus is at 10:30pm from the station). Alternatively, you can travel by taxi. On your arrival at Suzhou SIP Railway Station ( 苏 州 园 区 火 车 站 ), you can take a taxi to XJTLU. By Coach From Suzhou South Long Distance Bus Station ( 汽 车 南 站 ), you can travel to the University by Bus No. 16 (bus stops around 8pm) which will take you around 20 minutes depending on the traffic. Alternatively, you can travel by taxi. From Suzhou North Long Distance Bus Station ( 苏 州 北 站 ), you can travel to the University by Bus No. 812(bus stops around 7:30pm). Alternatively, you can travel by taxi. Book your car service You can book your own car service by filling in this form and send it to zhengtai@szztqc.com. Fee: Single trip between university (or your hotel) and Shanghai Hongqiao: 280 RMB Single trip between university (or your hotel) and Shanghai Pudong: 350 RMB University address Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, No.111 Ren'ai Road, Dushu Lake Higher Education Town Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province P R China 215123
Address in Chinese: 苏 州 工 业 园 区 仁 爱 路 111 号, 西 交 利 物 浦 大 学 Accommodations Suzhou is a city with many events and tourists, therefore, it is highly recommended to secure your place of residence before your visit. Hotel Information Xi an Jiaotong Liverpool International Conference Centre (from 388 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 0.2 km Hotel number: +86 0512-86665555 Hotel website: http://www.hoteleding.com/41102070/index.shtml It also can be booked through http://hotel.elong.com/soochow/41102070/ Suzhou Jingzhai Hotel (from 398 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 0.5 km Hotel number: +86 400-755-8888 Hotel website: http://www.niuhuhu.com/gh/t6pti82t.action?id=38975
It also can be booked through: http://hotel.elong.net/soochow/01102271/#? Jinling Guanyuan International Hotel Suzhou (from 538 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 1.6 km Hotel number: (86) (512) 6260 8888 Hotel website: http://www.niuhuhu.com/gh/t6pti82t.action?id=27903 It also can be booked through: http://hotel.elong.com/soochow/51102045/ Scholars Hotel Suzhou Yueliangwan (from 337 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 2.1 km Hotel website: http://www.soocor.com/index.htm It also can be booked through: http://hotel.elong.net/soochow/41102167/ Suzhou Four Points By Sheraton (from 812 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 2.1 km Hotel number: (86)(512) 6799 7999 Hotel website: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyid=3757 It also can be booked through: http://hotel.elong.net/soochow/01102305/ Suzhou Kempinski Hotel (from 853 RMB per night) Distance to the university: 2.7 km Hotel number: (86) 4007-889-889 Hotel website: http://www.jdydb.com/hotel/13636 It also can be booked through: http://hotel.elong.net/soochow/51102021/