China was still a predominantly rural society as late as the 1970s. Beginning with the economic reforms of the late 1970s, however, the last three decades have witnessed an extraordinary turnaround in China’s perspective on urbanization, as well as massive urban growth. Given changing policies and varying definitions of what constitutes an urban area, observers have not always agreed on the exact dimensions of recent urban growth, but all concur that it has been enormous. Given that the central government is currently directing and supporting further urbanization, the recent pace of China’s urbanization will undoubtedly continue. Various projections anticipate China’s “urban billion” era. According to the latest official United Nations projections, for instance, China’s urban population is expected to increase from 636 million to 1037 million between 2010 and 2050 (United Nations, DESA, 2010). Similarly, the McKinsey Global Institute (2009) has forecast the expansion of China’s urban population to 926 million in 2025, reaching one billion by 2030 – an annual growth rate of nearly 20 million. Such growth rates will be consistent with those of the past three decades. In short, the overall trend towards rapid urban growth is very clear.