Final answer:
China managed its urban problems in the late 1960s and early 1970s by laying the groundwork for implementing population control measures, culminating in the one-child policy of 1979. The country faced significant challenges associated with rapid urban population growth and rural-to-urban migration, leading to the adoption of policies to restrict population growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, China sought to manage its urban problems by implementing population control measures. This was in response to an urban population that was expanding rapidly due in part to the increase in rural-to-urban migration. The Chinese government, recognizing the challenges posed by a burgeoning urban population, embarked on a controversial strategy with the introduction of the one-child policy in 1979. Although this was after the late 1960s and early 1970s timeframe mentioned in the question, it was an emerging policy trend from that period that reached its full inception in 1979. The one-child policy was designed to curb the population growth and alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems associated with overpopulation.
The effectiveness and methodology of the population control approach have been widely debated and critiqued. China's massive rural-to-urban migration has been one of the defining characteristics of its demographic and economic transformation, impacting the structure of urban centers and fueling industrial growth. The drive towards urbanization was coupled with economic reforms known as the "Four Modernizations," which created opportunities for rural residents in urban areas, further accelerating the urban shift.