Characteristics and Mechanisms of Construction Land Expansion Driven by Land Finance: A Case Study of the Pearl River Delta
[National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) General Program]

Project Summary:
Focusing on China’s land finance system, this research investigates the characteristics and mechanisms of construction land expansion in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region to advance interdisciplinary insights in urban geography and political economy. Utilizing spatial statistical analysis, the study quantifies expansion patterns across land ownership types (state/collective) and usage categories, while political economy frameworks dissect cost-benefit dynamics and stakeholder博弈 among governments, developers, and rural collectives. A theoretical model integrating institutional (land finance) and market variables is developed through logical deduction and empirically validated with PRD data, challenging conventional market-centric urban bid-rent theories. Policy recommendations are proposed to recalibrate institutional drivers for sustainable land use. By embedding land finance into urban expansion theory, the project not only enriches academic discourse but also informs reforms for China’s land fiscal governance.

Principal Investigator:
Prof. Guicai Li
Duration: January 2013 – December 2016