In China, many low-skilled workers are currently experiencing the same “spatial mismatch” as those ethnic minorities in the U.S. The rapid urbanization in many regions of China has changed the urban-rural landscapes and incurred a massive influx of rural migrants from less developed part of the country. One major change in the landscapes of many large Chinese metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) has been the encroachment of rural settlements by the ever-expanding urban boundaries. Due to the high capital cost and time cost of moving native rural residents, local authorities are more willing to leave these villages in their status quo in facing rapid urbanization. Thus, many previous villages now become part of the cities (namely, ‘villages in cities’ or ‘urbanizing villages’). Read More
