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Is It Possible to Integrate Disaster Governance into Urbanization? Evidence from Chinese Townships Hit by 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and 2013 Lushan Earthquake

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Disaster Governance in Urbanising Asia

Abstract

This research contributes to fill the void in the knowledge of the evolution of disaster governance of Asia during urban transition, by studying the changes of disaster risk management (DRM) capacities of townships in southwestern China. These townships have particular significance in China’s urban spectrum. While a number of townships were hard hit twice by 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and 2013 Lushan Earthquake, it was a precious opportunity to examine the effect of integrating disaster governance into sustainable urbanization. The Wenchuan Reconstruction Plan had claimed the goal of building DRM capacity along the urbanization process of the post-disaster areas during the 5 years. This research finds that although with tremendous efforts, the fundamental issues of DRM remained unsettled in 2013 due to a failure of integrating the two policy systems of urbanization and disaster governance. The major contributions of this research are to link disaster governance and urbanization through DRM Capacity Framework and to put forward a new framework for forming a coalition between urbanization and disaster governance guided by governance approaches in strategic, policy, and program levels.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We adopt the definition of Urbanization Rate used by National Bureau of Statistics of China as the percentage of resident population in urban areas compared to total population.

    http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-04/15/c_124582332.htm (accessed on 7 October 2013).

  2. 2.

    Xinhua News Website:

    http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2011-02/14/c_121072377.htm (accessed on 7 October, 2013).

  3. 3.

    People.cn Website:

    http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2014/0120/c70731-24170142.html (accessed on 10 February 2014).

  4. 4.

    Data announced by National Statistics Bureau. The Central Government Website:

    http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/2013-05/27/content_2411923.htm (accessed on 7 January 2013).

  5. 5.

    According to China’s Western Development Program, China’s western regions include Neimenggu, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Qinghai, Xizang, and Xinjiang. Western Development Program Website: http://www.chinawest.gov.cn/web/Column1.asp?ColumnId=6 (accessed on 7 October 2013).

  6. 6.

    The average USD to CNY exchange rate is 6.95 in 2008, according to China Statistic Yearbook 2012. This paper uses this rate to convert currency in CNY to USD.

  7. 7.

    Sichuan Provincial Government Website:

    http://www.sc.gov.cn/zwgk/zwdt/bmdt/200904/t20090407_665982.shtml (accessed on 7 October 2013).

  8. 8.

    China News Website:

    http://www.chinanews.com/cj/2012/06-04/3936370.shtml (accessed on 7 October 2013).

  9. 9.

    The Central Government Website:

    http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2007/content_744155.htm (accessed on 4 November 2013).

  10. 10.

    People.cn Website:

    http://finance.people.com.cn/GB/8215/356561/359047/ (accessed on January 20 2014).

  11. 11.

    Central Government Website:

    http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2012-08/15/content_2204588.htm (accessed on January 20 2014).

  12. 12.

    Beichuan Government Website:

    http://www.beichuan.gov.cn/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=259 (accessed on January 20 2014).

  13. 13.

    Baoxing Government Website:

    http://www.baoxing.gov.cn/2011/1122/377.html (accessed on January 20 2014).

  14. 14.

    According to the State Council (1963), townships are localities with populations of over 2,500.

    Minister of Civil Affairs Website:

    http://qhs.mca.gov.cn/article/zcwj/qhgl/200711/20071100004365.shtml (accessed on 7 October 2013).

  15. 15.

    At the request of our interviewees, we maintain the anonymity of the names of townships and governors. We use BC + Number to represent the townships interviewed in the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and LS + Number to represent those in the 2013 Lushan Earthquake.

  16. 16.

    A gong is a traditional Chinese instrument that creates loud noise through striking and can be regarded as a portable drum.

  17. 17.

    Communist Party of China.

  18. 18.

    In paired assistance reconstruction, provinces of the eastern region provide financial, human, and technological resources to help the post-disaster areas.

  19. 19.

    The entire investment in Lushan Recovery was not announced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

    Qiang Zhang, Yameng Hu & Qibin Lu

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  1. Qiang Zhang
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Correspondence to Qiang Zhang .

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  1. Asia Research Institute National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Michelle Ann Miller

  2. Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Mike Douglass

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Zhang, Q., Hu, Y., Lu, Q. (2016). Is It Possible to Integrate Disaster Governance into Urbanization? Evidence from Chinese Townships Hit by 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and 2013 Lushan Earthquake. In: Miller, M., Douglass, M. (eds) Disaster Governance in Urbanising Asia. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-649-2_11

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