Economic transformation of mining cities in transition economies: lessons from Daqing, Northeast China

All mining cities need to address the problems associated with resource depletion. However, there are crucial differences between mining cities in transition economies and those in market economies. Through a case study from Daqing, which is also known as the oil capital of China, this article sheds light on how mining cities in transition economies transform economically in anticipation of the eventual decline in mining prosperity. With rich empirical evidence gathered through extensive fieldwork, this article argues that mining cities in transition economies are faced not only with problems stemming from the boom-and-bust economic cycles of the dominant mining industry and the inevitable exhaustion of resources, but also with issues associated with the legacy of planned economies. Therefore, the transformation of mining cities in transition economies is often situated in a multi-level governance framework. In contrast, the transformation of mining cities in market economies is mainly a local process in the sense that the key actors are local governments and community-based organisations. This case study contributes to the theorisation of mining cities in transition economies and the practical knowledge of those engaged in similar economic transformation.