THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF URBANIZATION AND URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

Urbanization has been increasing rapidly world-wide in the past many decades. This paper discusses important factors that affect the successful development of urbanization and urban agglomerations and examines their relationships. Based on Chen (2019)’s findings, this study included sixteen factors. Through surveys of three different groups from China - college faculty, business executives, and government officers on the importance and relevance of these sixteen factors, this paper explores how a city and an urban agglomeration can be successful. It concludes that a city’s ability to influence its adjoining areas is the essential function of its existence and that the innovation and sustainability are commonly agreed factors that will lead to the cities’ success. Then this paper further discusses how China can learn from other countries’ experiences and lessons to better plan its future urban development.