When done properly, few things can propel economic growth quite as quickly as urbanization. But, urban living can breed more than just business opportunities and consumption. Cities, if they expand too quickly, can become pressure cookers for social problems.

If China's rapidly growing urban centers can't provide recent arrivals with access to healthcare, education, employment, quality housing or other fundamental social services, these places could potentially become hotbeds of instability.

As people move into cities, there needs to be a social support system in place to welcome them. At the same time, China can't sacrifice its environment for the sake of growth, or it could risk alienating urbanites. As we have seen, rapid urbanization in China has produced more air pollution as well as an increase in waste water discharges from factories and industries, both of which have stirred up public concerns about safety and the quality of life China's cities can offer.

The author is Tang Liming, a consultant with Beijing-based Anbound Consulting.