Rural Industrial Geography in Urbanizing China: A Multiscalar Analysis of a Case Study in Xintai, Northern China

The rapidly urbanizing global south has witnessed drastic changes in rural transformation which industrial dynamics have played a fundamental role. However, research on geography and its influencing factors is limited compared with urban counterpart. spatial pattern of industry an ordinary county China—Xintai—is examined by adopting multi-level approach. underlying are then explored situating it into hybrid historical geographical process economy, institution, society. Results show that: (1) industrialization hierarchically spatially uneven across the first- second-tier villages clustering around central city along two main roads exhibiting general ‘one core bands‘. (2) Despite overall concentration, exhibits polycentric dispersed distribution at township levels. (3) resources continued to play pivotal role shaping current this formerly resource-dependent county, followed market accessibility, government, social capital, within-township distribution. This demonstrates importance perspective recognizing understanding reveals differences areas.