Abstract:

Urban-rural integration is an inherent requirement of Chinese-style modernization. As the basic administrative unit of governance in China, the county lies at the forefront of urban-rural interaction and serves as a crucial entry point for advancing urban-rural integration. From the perspective of the urban-rural territorial system, county-level urban-rural integration encompasses four dimensions, that is, urban system development, rural system development, urban-rural system disparity, and urban-rural system interaction. Its core features include a high level of urban development, a high level of rural development, the orderly flow of urban and rural factors, and a relatively small urban-rural development gap. At present, county-level urban-rural integration in China faces several pressing challenges, such as the weak radiative and driving capacity of towns, the fragile foundation of rural development, significant urban-rural disparities, and the incomplete establishment of two-way channels for the flow of urban and rural factors. In the future, promoting county-level urban-rural integration requires adopting a systemic perspective based on the urban-rural territorial framework, scientifically coordinating urban and rural development layouts, and improving both urban and rural development capacity. Particular attention should be paid to enhancing the radiative and driving role of towns in supporting rural development and facilitating two-way flows of production factors between urban and rural areas. Through these measures, counties can gradually narrow urban-rural disparities and achieve deeper and more sustainable urban-rural integration.

Key words: urban-rural integration, county, rural revitalization, urban-rural territorial system