Re-understanding the Administrative Division of China: A Typological Analysis Based on the "Institution-Function" Framework

Administrative divisions are important spatial carriers and policy tools for state governance. However, the inner ambiguity and heterogeneity of the concept itself haven't been fully clarified so far. From the disciplinary perspective of politics and public administration, "institution" and "function" are defined as two key factors to understand the administrative division of China. Based on whether a formal government is set and whether specific function is performed, four different types of administrative divisions can be distinguished, which include major administrative division, complementary administrative division, quasi-administrative division, and semi-administrative division. Each type of administrative division has its advantages and disadvantages. In general, major administrative divisions constitute basic units of state governance, while the other three types of administrative divisions are set for specific purposes and help alleviate conflicts between the rigidity of major administrative divisions and the flexibility of governance practice, which ensures the effective operation of state governance.