The Evolution of Green Development, Spatial Differentiation Pattern and Its Influencing Factors in Characteristic Chinese Towns

Abstract

Characteristic Chinese towns are “green ecology” innovation space units based on the background of the ‘Beautiful China Initiative’ (BCI), new urbanization, supply-side structural reform and the implementation of rural revitalization strategies. In this paper, spatial analysis models such as kernel density analysis, spatial autocorrelation analysis, the local correlation index and ArcGIS 10.5 are used to analyze the spatial layout and structural characteristics of the green development evolution of characteristic towns and to explore their spatial differentiation characteristics and laws, internal influencing factors and mechanisms. The analysis of the spatial distribution kernel density shows that regional economic development is an important influencing factor that affects the layout of the characteristic towns. Spatial autocorrelation analysis indicates that the spatial distribution of the characteristic towns does not have random distribution characteristics but is clustered in areas of similar scale. The results show the following: (1) The spatial layout of characteristic towns is generally a cohesive distribution with obvious agglomeration trends and differences, showing the characteristics of “dense in the southeast, sparse in the northwest” and “overall agglomeration, relying on economy, along the coast and along traffic arteries, spreading around cities, and differentiating by scenery”. (2) The high-density core area and sub-high-density area of characteristic towns are situated along the coast and along traffic arteries, are characterized by resource endowments and economic development, and are distributed along urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas. (3) The spatial pattern of green development evolution is organically coupled across three dimensions: location, industry and community. Our research results will help improve the level of green development in characteristic towns; coordinate the spatial layout of new urbanization; improve regional, high-quality, and coordinated development; and realize Chinese-style modernization for common prosperity.