Understanding China's Governance through the Governance units: A Comparative Perspective

Various countries have established different types, scales, and levels of governance units in their development and governance processes. These units encompass substantive and virtual categories, differing in function, institution, power, finance, and boundary. In China’s development and governance efforts, a comprehensive approach utilizing both types of governance units has been employed to form a governance structure comprising “administrative regions/districts + economic areas/functional zones”. This paper explores how China’s effective application of governance units has contributed to its sustained economic growth and long-term social stability by comparing it with western models. The analysis sheds light on China’s experiences in the utilization of governance units for development and governance.