Urban-rural integration is an important feature of high-level urbanization. According to international experiences of urban-rural relationship evolutions, the transition from urban-rural mixing and urban-rural competition to urban-rural integration is an inevitable process of continuous urbanization. Urban-rural relations in China have moved towards a new integrated stage with the rapid urbanization process. However, the long-standing urban-rural dual structure has limited the high-quality development of urban and rural areas, and the problem of unbalanced and insufficient urban-rural development problem remains prominent. Therefore, promoting urban-rural integration has become an important Chinese path to achieve high-quality urbanization and rural modernization. In the face of these increasingly complex changes and urban-rural relations, how should the theories and planning practices of urban-rural integrations in China respond? This special issue calls for investigations of the theories and practices of urban-rural integrations.

The scope of topics

The contributions may include but are not limited to the following topics:

(1) Theoretical evolution of urban-rural relations

(2) International experiences in urban-rural integrations

(3) Spatial-temporal characteristics and driving forces in urban-rural integrations

(4) Agricultural development in urban-rural integrations

(5) Urban-rural living circle planning in urban-rural fringes

(6) Spatial regeneration and composite use in urban-rural integrations

(7) Built heritage conservation and development in urban-rural integrations

(8) Developmental models and rural governance in urban-rural integrations

(9) Land consolidation policies and practices in urban-rural integrations

(10) Urban-rural integrations and social inclusion