Chinese economic reform

The Chinese economic reform or Chinese economic miracle, also known domestically as Reform and Opening-up (), refers to a variety of economic reforms termed "socialism with Chinese characteristics" and "socialist market economy" in the People's Republic of China (PRC) that began in the late 20th century. Guided by Deng Xiaoping, who is often credited as the "General Architect", the reforms were launched by reformists within the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on December 18, 1978, during the "Boluan Fanzheng" period. The reforms briefly went into stagnation after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, but were revived after Deng Xiaoping's southern tour in 1992. The reforms led to significant economic growth for China within the successive decades; in 2010, China overtook Japan as the world's second-largest economy by nominal GDP and in the 2010s became the world's largest economy by GDP (PPP). The CCP carried out the market reforms in two stages. The first stage, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, involved the de-collectivization of agriculture, the opening up of the country to foreign investment, and permission for entrepreneurs to start businesses. However, a large percentage of industries remained state-owned. The second stage of reform, in the late 1980s and 1990s, involved the privatization and contracting out of much state-owned industry. The 1985 lifting of price controls was a major reform, and the lifting of protectionist policies and regulations soon followed, although state monopolies in the commanding heights of the economy such as banking and petroleum remained. In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). Not long after, the private sector grew remarkably, accounting for as much as 70 percent of China's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2005. From 1978 until 2013, unprecedented growth occurred, with the economy increasing by 9.5% a year. Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao's administration took a more conservative approach towards reforms, regulated and controlled the economy more heavily after 2005, reversing some reforms.

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Danwei compounds were the dominant form of urban neighborhood in China's planned economy era. However, since the economic reform, the status of danwei compounds has undergone dramatic changes. By examining the transformation of Hua Gong Da Yuan (HGDY), a danwei compound in Beijing, this paper conceptualizes property rights redistribution and spatial evolution for post-danwei compounds. The transformation of danwei compounds is accompanied by the increasing awareness of property rights mainly in terms of land parcels, amenities and housing. Meanwhile, a more diversified group of property users, including both original residents and newcomers, are granted some portion of these property rights. They tend to privately claim all types of compound resources, which causes the spatial evolution of the compound, such as the reuse of former amenities, fragmented spaces and porous boundaries, the evolution of street shops, and the encroachment of public space. This paper argues that the institutional and proprietary order of post-danwei compounds is vaguely defined and disorderly arranged, which results in a weakened pattern of residual claims and compounds' deterioration. The study suggests an updated contract regarding danwei compounds to clearly regulate the behaviors of property users.

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