The restriction factors in the less developed areas and their development strategies in coastal China

Abstract

Regional economic difference has aroused wide interests of numerous scholars and many academic papers have been published discussing on this.Most of the papers on regional disparities in China are concentrated on the macro scale approach, namely western China, middle China and coastal China problem. For a long period of time coastal China has witnessed fairly quick development with average GDP growth rate being over 10%, along with quite a number of less developed areas coexistence in the process. According to extreme difference analyses in provinces(or cities) concerning the ratio between the highest level and lowest level about per capita GDP, Guangdong and Shandong belong to strongly differetiated areas, Jiangsu and Fujian belong to obviously differentiated areas,and Zhejiang belongs to relatively equal area. In this paper, less developed coastal areas refer to those areas where economic situation is relatively low compared with the surrounding coastal regions. Here per capita GDP is used as a principal indicator to classify economic types. Among the 72 cities, 34 of them are economically less developed areas. The distribution of the less developed coastal areas is characterized by two main aspects: first, they are situated between three highly developed economic belts of Jingjintang (Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan) and Jiaodong (Shandong province), Yangtze Delta, Zhujiang Delta and Hongkong; second, most of the coastal less developed areas are situated along provincial boundaries. Unfavorable location, natural conditions, economic structure and regional policy are the major restirction factors that hinder their economic development.The most important task is to quicken the pace of economic development in these areas.First,the regional infrastructure construction should be improved;second,the endogenous advantageous resources should be fully made use of;and third,relevant preferential policies should be formulated.