City clusters in China: air and surface water pollution

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth over the past two decades, accompanied by the development of large-scale industries and services. In the course of this expansion, medium-sized cities and small towns have sprung up around the larger cities, forming city clusters, often with similar or interdependent economies. The development of city clusters in China is somewhat similar to the formation of the megalopolis in the United States, as described by Gottmann (1961). However, there are some differences in terms of the number of cities in an area, their infrastructure, and the services they provide to the region, as compared to the US. City clusters in China tend to be much more concentrated and…