Final answer:
The growing urban population in China is due to an increased food supply leading to a population boom, the transition from agriculture to other sectors, massive rural-to-urban migration patterns, and economic reforms including the creation of SEZs and the rise of manufacturing capacity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The growing urban population in China can be attributed to several key factors. One significant cause was the increase in China's food supply which led to a substantial population boom. This boom, particularly evident during the Song dynasty, created a surplus in labor, allowing for a larger workforce to transition from agricultural to other economic sectors. Notably, the use of strains of rice that ripened quickly contributed to the ability to harvest twice in a year, fuelling this growth. As a result, by the early eleventh century, Song China's census showed a population increase from fifty-five million to 120 million a century later.
Throughout history, rural-to-urban migration has been a strong driver of urban population growth. More than half of China's population lived in rural areas, and the industrial cities attracted migrants from rural settings. This massive shift from rural to urban areas, supported by policies like the creation of special economic zones (SEZs), has brought unprecedented rates of urbanization. From 1978 to 2010, urbanization in China surged from 17 percent to 47 percent.
Finally, the phased-out collective farms and the opening up to free enterprise and international trade have contributed to China's rapid economic growth. This, coupled with the rise of manufacturing capacity and the attraction of factory jobs, especially in coastal cities and SEZs, has perpetuated the urban growth. Therefore, the combination of increased food supply, incentivized migration, economic reforms, and conducive policies for trade and manufacturing has led to China's significant urban population expansion.