Regional Development In China Research Articles

Evaluation and Regional Differences of Urban Green Development in Henan Province

As an extension of ecological concepts, urban green development has gradually become a new bridge for various countries or regions to achieve sustainable development. Based on the panel data of 17 cities in Henan Province, China from 2007 to 2022, this article uses the entropy method to measure the green development level of cities in Henan Province, and uses the Dagum Gini coefficient method to analyze the green development differences between cities. The results show that: first, urban green development in Henan Province is generally at a lower-middle level and tends to be balanced. Second, there are obvious regional gaps in urban green development in Henan Province. Third, inter-regional disparity is the main reason for the differential distribution of urban green development levels in Henan Province. In order to promote the improvement of urban green level and narrow the spatial development gap in Henan Province, this study puts forward corresponding policy suggestions from the aspects of green investment, green technology innovation, industrial structure upgrading and green life. This also provides reference for other less developed regions in China to achieve balanced urban green development.

A Year-Long Measurement and Source Contributions of Volatile Organic Compounds in Nanning, South China

Severe ozone (O3) pollution has been recorded in China in recent years. The key precursor, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is still not well understood in Nanning, which is a less developed city compared to other megacities in China. In this study, a year-long measurement of VOCs was conducted from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021, to characterize the ambient variations and apportion the source contributions of VOCs. The daily-averaged concentration of VOCs was measured to be 26.4 ppb, ranging from 3.2 ppb to 136.2 ppb across the whole year. Alkanes and oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) were major species, contributing 46.9% and 25.2% of total VOC concentrations, respectively. Propane, ethane, and ethanol were the most abundant in Nanning, which differed from the other significant species, such as toluene (3.7 ppb) in Guangzhou, ethylene (3.8 ppb) in Nanjing, and isopentane (5.5 ppb), in Chengdu. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model resolved six source factors, including vehicular emission (contributing 33% of total VOCs), NG and LPG combustion (19%), fuel burning (17%), solvent use (16%), industry emission (10%), and biogenic emission (5%). This indicated that Nanning was less affected by industrial emission compared with other megacities of China, with industry contributing 12–50%. Ethylene, m/p-xylene, butane, propylene, and isoprene were key species determined by ozone formation potential (OFP) analysis, which should be priority-controlled. The variations in estimated OFP and observed O3 concentrations were significantly different, suggesting that VOC reactivity-based strategies as well as meteorological and NOx effects should be considered collectively in controlling O3 pollution. This study presents a year-long dataset of VOC measurements in Nanning, which gives valuable implications for VOC control in terms of key sources and reactive species and is also beneficial to the formulation of effective ozone control strategies in other less developed regions of China.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Transformation Regulation Strategies of Rural Residential Land on the Grand Canal (China)

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Transformation Regulation Strategies of Rural Residential Land on the Grand Canal (China)

The impact of administrative boundaries on foreign direct investments in China's Yangtze River Delta region

We investigate the theoretical mechanisms that underpin the influence of administrative boundaries on foreign direct investment (FDI), taking into account the dual impact of administrative boundary effects. Using panel data from Yangtze River Delta counties collected between 2011 and 2019, we empirically investigate administrative boundaries' effect on FDI within these regions. The findings show that from 2011 to 2019, China's Yangtze River Delta had a consistently positive but moderate global Moran's I index, indicating limited spatial interconnectivity among county-level FDIs. Inter-county FDI in the Yangtze River Delta is hampered by provincial administrative boundaries, with cross-provincial FDI disparities greater than those within the same province. Notably, the Anhui-Zhejiang border experienced a temporary shift from a negative to a positive effect coefficient between 2011 and 2015, whereas other interprovincial boundaries consistently had negative coefficients. The FDI boundary barrier effect is attributed to natural barriers, administrative boundaries, and government performance assessments. In contrast, the boundary intermediary effect results from economic activity diffusion, inter-regional industrial relocation, and inter-regional geographical interaction. This study examines the impact of administrative boundaries on regional economic development through the lens of FDI, intending to provide useful insights for promoting balanced regional development in China and other developing countries. Furthermore, it guides international investors on their ventures in China, attempting to enrich their decision-making framework with strategic perspectives on the country's investment environment.

Temporal-spatial analysis of urban education and research efficiency: A case of Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, China

Evaluating the efficiency of education and research plays an important role in optimizing resource allocation and promoting sustainable development of science and education. The Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) is one of the most developed regions in China in terms of economy, science and education, and culture. Quantifying and analyzing its education and research efficiency is of great significance for the development of this urban agglomeration. Therefore, this study applied Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the education and research efficiency of YRDUA from 2000 to 2021, and applied GIS visualization methods to analyze its spatiotemporal distribution characteristics. The research results indicate that due to the steady implementation of the Yangtze River Delta regional integration strategy, the overall scientific and educational efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta is showing a continuous upward trend. At the same time, the efficiency gap between different cities in the region is showing a narrowing trend,

Research on the Decoupling Relationship between Transportation Land and Population Growth: A Case of Guangdong Province in China

The imbalance between the population, transportation, and construction is an important factor affecting coordinated regional development in China. Using transportation land area and population data from 2010, 2015, and 2020 in 121 counties (cities and districts) of Guangdong Province, this study analyzes the spatiotemporal changes in transportation land and population structure. It explores the relationship between transportation land and population size changes using exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and decoupling models. Research suggests the following: (1) From 2010 to 2020, the per capita transportation land in various districts and counties of Guangdong Province showed a hierarchical structure of “low center and high periphery”. Conversely, the proportion of transportation land to construction land displayed a “high center and low periphery” characteristic. (2) During the same period, the total amount of transportation land in the peripheral areas of the Pearl River Delta was higher than that in the PRD (the Pearl River Delta) and the gap widened each year. Meanwhile, the proportion of transportation land to construction land in the peripheral areas of the Pearl River Delta was consistently higher than that in the PRD. (3) From 2010 to 2015, the relationship between population growth and transportation land in Guangdong Province showed a hierarchical pattern, while from 2015 to 2020, the pattern became more complex, and regional imbalance intensified. The decoupling results of PRD showed weak decoupling and expanding negative decoupling from 2010 to 2020. The peripheral areas of the Pearl River Delta are characterized by strong negative decoupling and expanding negative decoupling. Research has shown that although Guangdong Province is one of the most developed provinces in China, the mismatch between transportation land and population size in economically underdeveloped areas has become increasingly severe, with changes in the provincial population distribution pattern. The decoupling phenomenon between the transportation land and population is very obvious, and the policy of achieving regional balanced development through transportation infrastructure construction needs to be reviewed.

Atmospheric CO2 in the megacity Hangzhou, China: Urban-suburban differences, sources and impact factors

Limited observation sites and insufficient monitoring of atmospheric CO2 in urban areas restrict our comprehension of urban-suburban disparities. This research endeavored to shed light on the urban-suburban differences of atmospheric CO2 in levels, diurnal and seasonal variations as well as the potential sources and impact factors in the megacity of Hangzhou, China, where the economically most developed region in China is. The observations derived from the existing Hangzhou Atmospheric Composition Monitoring Center Station (HZ) and Lin'an Regional Atmospheric Background Station (LAN) and the newly established high-altitude Daming Mountain Atmospheric Observation Station (DMS), were utilized. From November 2020 to October 2021, the annual averages of HZ, LAN and DMS were 446.52 ± 17.01 ppm, 441.56 ± 15.42 ppm, and 422.02 ± 10.67 ppm. The difference in atmospheric CO2 mole fraction between HZ and LAN was lower compared to the urban-suburban differences observed in other major cities in China, such as Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing. Simultaneous CO2 enhancements were observed at HZ and LAN, when using DMS observations as background references. The seasonal variations of CO2 at LAN and DMS exhibited a high negative correlation with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values, indicating the strong regulatory of vegetation canopy. The variations in boundary layer height had a larger influence on the low-altitude HZ and LAN stations than DMS. Compared to HZ and LAN, the atmospheric CO2 at DMS was influenced by emissions and transmissions over a wider range. The potential source area of DMS in autumn covered most areas of the urban agglomeration in eastern China. DMS measurements could provide a reliable representation of the background level of CO2 emissions in the Yangtze River Delta and a broader region. Conventional understanding of regional CO2 level in the Yangtze River Delta through LAN measurements may overestimate background concentration by approximately 10.92 ppm.

The impact of teleconnections of built-up land on unbalanced regional development and spatial carbon balance

The rapid expansion of built-up land in China contributes to the great differences in regional development, which has impacted balanced regional development. Analysis on teleconnections of built-up land can better understand the mechanism of spatial imbalance, thus promoting the achievement of overall carbon neutrality. We attempt to quantify the degree of unbalanced regional development based on teleconnections of built-up land in China. Results reveal an increase in external dependence in developed regions, with the economic growth in these regions driving the expansion of built-up land in undeveloped regions. Undeveloped regions primarily serve as suppliers of land for the mining and manufacturing industry, while developed regions export substantial land for the service industry. There is considerable variation in the environmental-economic benefits among regions: While each province experiences economic gains from built-up land expansion, differences in land utilization efficiency contribute to a significant development gap among regions. This divergence in development levels exacerbates the unbalanced regional development in China, a trend that is currently widening. It is imperative for developed regions to assume greater responsibility in achieving carbon neutrality. This involves providing economic and technological support to undeveloped regions, fostering a more equitable and sustainable development path.

GREEN TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY MISMEASUREMENT WITHOUT CONSIDERING INTANGIBLES: EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

This paper aims to re-estimate green total factor productivity (GTFP) with the consideration of intangible capital in Chinese provinces between 2003 and 2017. Intangible capital is broadly defined and categorized into computerized information, innovative property and economic competency property. The finding suggests that the conventional GTFP is underestimated especially during the post-financial crisis period in China. It is also found that technical efficiency, which shows the trend of deterioration without capitalizing intangibles, improves steadily and jointly with technological progress contributing to the improvement of productivity. The mismeasurement of GTFP is more severe in developed regions in China where intangible investment is more emphasized. Furthermore, regional GTFP shows the trend of convergence after intangible capital is incorporated and the rate of convergence turns to be faster in coastal regions than that in the interior.

Prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depressive symptoms at 42 days among 2462 women in China

BackgroundPostpartum depression is a common and serious mental health problem that is affecting an increasing percentage of the world's population. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms in Beijing, China, during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify several potential risk factors. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional observational study conducted at Peking University First Hospital from 2020 to 2021. Women who delivered and had postpartum reviews at 42 days after delivery were invited to complete the Chinese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) under the guidance of trained nurses. A score of ≥10 was used as the threshold of postpartum depression. t-tests, chi-square tests or Mann–Whitney U tests were applied. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms. ResultsA total of 2462 mothers were included in this study, 20.2 % of whom were considered to have postpartum depressive symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that formula feeding (OR = 2.219, 95 % CI: 1.300–3.786, P = 0.013), preterm birth (OR = 1.619, 95 % CI: 1.108–2.367, P = 0.013), cervical insufficiency (OR 3.022, 95 % CI: 1.200–7.615, P = 0.019) and history of depression (OR = 6.519, 95 % CI: 1.537–27.659, P = 0.011) were associated with a high prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms. ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms in developed regions of China during the COVID-19 pandemic. More attention should be given to mothers with risk factors for PPD, and follow-up care is needed.

Energy-related carbon emission reduction pathways in Northwest China towards carbon neutrality goal

The Chinese government has announced ambitious carbon reduction goals to address climate change, however, there has been limited scientific attention to the achievement of deep decarbonization in regions with insufficient economic development. Moreover, the complex impacts of climate change mitigation on energy system, environment and economic development remain unclear in Northwest China. Here we construct a comprehensive evaluation model system to evaluate the effects of different climate mitigation pathways in Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu and Xinjiang provinces. Results show that the four provinces need to vigorously increase the share of electricity that consumed in final energy to 53.1–60.0% and 52.9–62.0% for 2 °C and 1.5 °C target, respectively, and reduce total energy demand to 11.6–44.4 Mtoe and 8.2–34.1 Mtoe in 2050. Meanwhile, the CO2 emissions for their energy systems will reach peak by 2025 at lower values. Moreover, the synergies of CO2 reduction are most conducive to abating SO2 pollution and also contributing to decreasing PM2.5 concentrations. Additionally, the GDP losses in 2050 fluctuate from 5.0 to 21.7 billion USD in the 2 °C scenario to 11.5–52.7 billion USD in the 1.5 °C scenario. Our study provides practical guidance on achieving carbon reductions in less developed regions of China and lays foundations to promote decarbonization of energy systems in other provinces.

Role of scientific and technological innovations on industrial upgradation in China: A spatial econometric analysis.

China is in a phase of high-quality development, where scientific and technological innovations are serving as the primary driving force for its development strategy. This emphasis on innovations is expected to fuel the upgrading of the industrial structure. This study investigates the role of scientific and technological innovations in industrial upgradation in China using spatial econometric analysis. Leveraging the data of 31 provinces of China from 2005 to 2022, we employed a spatial Durbin model to determine the spatial spillover effects of scientific and technological innovations on industrial upgradation. Our findings reveal the significant positive spatial spillover effects, indicating that provinces with higher levels of scientific and technological innovations tend to experience greater industrial upgradation, which in turn contributes to regional economic development. Furthermore, the findings suggest a strong spatial correlation between innovation and the upgrading of industrial structures, indicating that regional innovations have the potential to drive China's industrial upgradation. These results underscore the critical role of scientific and technological innovations in promoting industrial upgradation and regional development in China.

Navigating the resource curse: Unraveling the role of governance in regional development in China

This paper examines the counterproductive effects of natural resources on subnational economic development, known as the “Dutch disease”, and explores its implications. Using descriptive and empirical analysis, we investigate this phenomenon using panel data from 24 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2021. Our research distinguishes between two types of entities: “grabbers” and “producers”. The former refers to resource wastage, while the latter represents modern, technologically advanced entities that utilize resources efficiently. To study the impact of the Dutch disease on China's regional economy, we modify certain variables accordingly. We also test the nonlinearity in the behavior of grabbers and producer regions. The initial output level reveals convergence of the tested model. However, the findings reveal a significant negative relationship between natural resource endowment and per capita gross regional income at the provincial level. However, when considering governance indicators, it is observed that the natural resource curse diminishes in the presence of a higher institutional quality index. The resource curse is such a strong element in resource-abundant regions that it can undermine the impact of other economic factors, such as investment and trade openness. These results suggest that stronger institutional elements can transform the resource curse phenomenon into a blessing, thereby enhancing regional productivity. The results also imply that the possible technology growth can help reduce the resource curse.

Exploring Elements Linked to School Bullying in China: A Comprehensive Review

This review seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of factors associated with school bullying on an individual level and societal level in China. Several important trends in the field have been identified. These include the findings that experiences of childhood maltreatment, mental health, gender, and school types are positively associated with school bullying. On the contrary, strong teacher-student bonds, a communal atmosphere within the school, and high academic achievement serve as safeguards against school bullying. Despite the substantial body of research, research on the nationwide occurrence of school bullying, particularly in less developed regions of China, is still insufficient. Additionally, a notable constraint in existing studies is their reliance on cross-sectional data, which hinders the establishment of causal relationships. These discoveries carry significant implications for forthcoming investigations into school bullying within China and for the development of effective school-based interventions.

How can high-quality development improve the ecotourism efficiency in the region of ecological constraints of China? Empirical evidence from the Yellow River Basin

Despite the massive impacts of ecotourism on regional development, only limited papers empirically examined the responses of the regional development factors to ecotourism in the context of an ecological constraints region. To fill this gap, the primary aim of this paper is to reveal how ecotourism efficiency is affected by quality regional development in the region of ecological constraints. The second aim is to investigate the moderating role of ecological constraints in building relationships of ecotourism efficiency and quality regional development factors. The research was conducted in the Yellow River Basin, a prime area for ecological protection and high-quality regional development in China. Data gathered from 2010 to 2019 were used to analyze ecotourism efficiency by using the super–slacks-based measurement method. Findings indicated that four quality regional development factors—innovative, green, open, and shared factors—have positive impacts on ecotourism efficiency in the Yellow River Basin. Ecological constraints moderate the relationship between ecotourism efficiency and quality regional development. The study makes a significant contribution to the literature in terms of both managing the ecological constraints and improving the sustainability of ecotourism in the region of quality development.

Impact of subsidized distribution on follow-up uptake of vision health services for rural students: A field experiment in China

Despite rising economic growth, low-income countries continue to exhibit a relatively low uptake of healthcare services and products. Short-term healthcare subsidies are commonly administered in low-income countries to promote long-term uptake of healthcare. To evaluate the impact of follow-up healthcare subsidies, we examined the effects of a one-time subsidy of providing free eyeglasses to school children in rural China. We contribute to the field by using a unique and rare 27-month, two-phase experiment that surveyed 4658 primary and secondary school students from Gansu and Shaanxi provinces in rural northwestern China. The sample was divided into an intervention group that received free eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive errors and a control group that received only prescription information. The impact of one-time subsidized eyeglasses on rural students’ long-term uptake of vision health care vision health was assessed using an instrumental variables (IV) approach. 90.0% of students from the intervention group that received one-time subsidized eyeglasses sought appropriate long-term healthcare, which was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than the control group at 61.3%. Multivariate logistic regression models (OR = 28.315, 95% CI = 10.972–73.074, P < 0.001) revealed that this one-time subsidy of free eyeglasses significantly predicted long-term uptake in related healthcare products and services. IV analysis suggested that wearing eyeglasses may increase the likelihood of students’ long-term uptake by 78.7% in the intervention samples compared to control schools; the magnitude of this coefficient provides evidence that wearing eyeglasses leads to a marginal improvement in long-term uptake within the sample. This result passed a series of robustness tests. Learning by doing and social learning are crucial pathways through which short-term, targeted subsidies might affect long-term adoption, at least for some classes of preventative health items. The provision of short-term, one-off healthcare subsidies can be an efficient and cost-effective strategy for boosting both short-term and long-term healthcare-seeking behavior. Providing a useful reference for promoting long-term health-seeking behavior in rural or other less developed regions in China and elsewhere in the world.

Integrating flood risk assessment and management based on HV-SS model: A case study of the Pearl River Delta, China

Global climate change has resulted in frequent extreme weather events in recent decades. The Pearl River Delta, one of the most developed regions in China, frequently faces the threat of flood disasters, causing significant human and economic losses. However, previous flood risk studies ignored the energy flow, material transfer and information transfer in the region, resulting in a disconnect between risk assessment results and management strategies, making it difficult to achieve the desired disaster prevention and mitigation effects. Thus, the HV-SS model was proposed with the aim of integrating flood assessment and management, thereby achieving more accurate and efficient risk management. The results showed that the majority of the study areas were under medium to high flood hazard levels, and their spatial distribution was closely related to natural conditions. The proportion of risk area was inversely proportional to the risk level, and the spatial distribution of flood risk exhibited a central-high and perimeter-low characteristic, with medium-risk surrounding the high-risk areas. Comparative verification, combined with the TOPSIS method achieved a matching rate of 89.89%, indicating that the assessment result was reasonable. The flood risk pattern constructed using the source-sink theory found that the primary risk sources were located in the central region and continuously transferred risk to surrounding areas through risk corridors. It is crucial to note that easily ignored risks were hidden around the risk nodes, and some reasonable flood management strategies were proposed. This study can provide a reference for regional flood risk assessment and management for sustainable development.

Understanding Urban Expansion and Its Landscape Responses with Long-Term Landsat Data in Guangzhou, China

Quantifying the spatio-temporal pattern of urban expansion is essential to understanding the ecological consequences of urbanization and supporting optimal urban management strategies. As one of the most developed regions in China, Guangzhou has experienced rapid urban expansion over the past decades. However, little is known about the detailed process of urban expansion across long-term periods. Combining remote sensing data with GIS techniques, we attempted to quantify the spatio-temporal pattern of urban expansion in Guangzhou. We mapped the urban landscape in Guangzhou using Landsat images between 1973 and 2017. The urban land developed and change process was also examined, including urban expansion direction, urban expansion types, and landscape responses to urban expansion. The results showed that the building nearly increased by 90-fold from 1973 to 2017, and over half of the newly developed buildings mainly came from farmland. Edge expansion is the main type of urban growth. The urban trajectory shows that the expansion mainly occurred in the southwest to northeast direction. Urban growth led to radical changes in the urban landscape, leading to sharp decreases in soil and farmland. The results from this study provide key information for future planning to make eco-friendly megacities as well as sustainable development.

Zonal patterns and driving factors of soil organic carbon density in Zhejiang Province, China

The complex topography and intensive land use and land cover change (LUCC) might shift the spatial pattern of soil organic carbon (SOC) density. However, the effects of LUCC caused by development on the distribution and driving factors of SOC density remain unclear. As one of the most developed regions in China, Zhejiang Province has experienced intensive land use change and has various vegetation types, making it an ideal location to analyse the zonal pattern and driving factors of SOC density in terrestrial ecosystems. To do that, a dataset was built with data collected from existing literature. The average SOC density in Zhejiang Province was 69.75 Mg ha−1, ranging widely from 6.44 to 301.90 Mg ha−1 depending on land and vegetation types. We found that forests had the highest mean SOC density (78.30 Mg ha−1), while cropland had the lowest (45.69 Mg ha−1). Meanwhile, the SOC density of unmanaged land was significantly higher than that of managed land (P < 0.001). Additionally, SOC density varied greatly with longitude and altitude, showing a decreasing zonal pattern from west to east and from high to low altitude. The RF model indicated that vegetation type, stand age, mean annual temperature (MAT), soil pH, and mean annual precipitation (MAP) were the five most important factors affecting SOC density in this area, but the effects differed between managed and unmanaged lands. These results aid with understanding the dynamics of SOC pools in terrestrial ecosystems and inform policy-making to mitigate global climate change. These findings provide valuable insights into the dynamics of SOC pools in terrestrial ecosystems, enabling more effective policymaking to mitigate the impact of global climate change.

Research on the Industrial Transfer from the Yangtze River Delta to Linyi City based on the Industrial Gradient Coefficient

The Yangtze River Delta region, represented by Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, has grown as one of the most developed regions in China based on the acceptance of international industrial transfer. However, along with the rising factor costs, increasing environmental pressure and resource constraints, it has become a general trend to upgrade industrial structure, give priority to intensive, high technology and high value-added industries, some labor-intensive and capital-intensive industries is moved to other regions in the country. As the southern gate of Shandong Province, Linyi City is close to the Yangtze River Delta, with a common history, and complementary resources, and is an important hub connecting the north and south economies. It should take full advantage of its location, natural resources and labor resources to actively undertake the industrial transfer of the Yangtze River Delta and participate in the regional economic cooperation and development of the Yangtze River Delta. The difference in the development level between the transferring and taking over places is a prerequisite for industrial transfer, which can be measured by the industrial gradient coefficient, which shows the different levels of industrial gradients to determine the transferring industries in the Yangtze River Delta region; in addition, the relative industrial gradient coefficient is introduced to determine the industries Linyi can take over.