本期聚焦：中国城镇化评价--中国城市化水平统计数据的问题分析

On the Enigma of China＇ s Statistical Data Regarding Level of Urbanization

城市是一种没有特征尺度的现象．故其只能主观定义．而不能客观界定。城市化水平统计难题因此而生。中国目前的城市化水平至少存在三个方面的问题：一是各地测量标准不一，二是统计上的不适当高估，三是建设中的想当然拔高。由于城市形态和城市规模分布都具有无标度性特征．一个城市的边界和一个区域的城市数目都无法客观确定。这种现象为城市化水平统计过程中的主观操作留下了理论上的漏洞。可是，国内至今没有统一、科学的城市定义．城市化水平统计各地标准参差不齐，水分明显。为了解决上述问题，至少要开展下述基础性工作：基于统计学知识规范城市定义，合理制定城市人口规模门槛，细化城市人口普查单元，在大众中普及正确的城市化概念。

Both cities as systems and systems of cities are of scaling invariance. Because of the scalefree pattern of a city, urban boundary cannot be accurately identified. Due to scale-free distribution of population size of cities, the size threshold （the lower limit of city size） cannot be objectively determined. In this case, the spatial scope of a city and the city number of a region cannot be scientifically quantified, and thus the level of urbanization cannot be precisely figured out. The scaling invariance of urban systems allows people leeway in defining city and computing urbanization level. In China, many officers of local governments treated level of urbanization as an index of achievement in their posts. Urban area is often randomly defined to increase urban population. What is more, the policy of birth control （family planning） gave rise to a great number of nonrcgistemd children. Therefore, China＇s level of urbanization was overrated to some extent. The standard urban definition should be introduced in order to calculate the proportion of urban population.