Abstract: Resource over-exploitation and single industrial structure are the prominent problems haunting the resource-based cities in China, so it is necessary to change this situation through development of continuous industries. Taking China’s 32 typical resource-based cities as research object, this paper conducts an empirical analysis of the panel data by using GMM estimation with the software of EViews 6.0. The result indicates that the mode of industry substitution is the best choice for the sustainable development of the resource-based cities. In addition, it puts forward corresponding policy suggestions from the four aspects of commerce, finance, waste utilization and environmental management, that is, developing commerce actively in order to promote the prosperity of the tertiary industry, attracting financial investment in order to improve financial system construction, improving the level of waste recycling in order to promote the secondary resources construction, and strengthening the efforts in environmental governance in order to guarantee the harmonious economic and social development.

Key words: resource-based city; continuous industry; industry substitution; waste utilization