Abstract: The integrated development of urban and rural areas is the latest strategy to promote China's high-quality development and to implement it,effective carriers are needed to solve the mechanism obstacles hindering the rational allocation of development factors between urban and rural areas.The program of characteristic towns originated in Zhejiang Province of China can help overcome the shortcomings of single function of development carriers such as “industrial parks” and integrate the functions of industry,life and ecology by giving attention to industrial agglomeration,population agglomeration and their matching.Characteristic towns are essentially “spatial carriers of industrial agglomeration and population agglomeration” with distinct characteristics,excellent environment,complete urban functions,and in line with the direction of industrial transformation and upgrading as well as new urbanization,which are considered as important platforms for “innovation,entrepreneurship and creation”.In theory,characteristic towns can be defined as “the most basic spatial unit with clear and unique industrial and cultural orientation,good living and ecological environment,and complete urban functions”.Therefore,characteristic towns serve as an effective carrier of high-end development factors such as talents and capital,and as an important “node” innovation in the spatial distribution of urban and rural areas in China.Besides functioning in the cities and suburbs,they can also be laid out in the rural areas flexibly to work as the radiation driving role in rural areas as well.Thus,they can be used as spatially supporting nodes connecting the two major strategies of new urbanization and rural revitalization,and important carriers and policy tools for the integrated development of urban and rural areas.

Key words: characteristic town, urban-rural integration, new urbanization, rural revitalization