Spatial Differentiation and Convergence Trend of High-quality Development Level of China’s Tourism Economy

This paper aims to interpret the connotation of high-quality development of tourism economy(HQTE)from the perspective of the new development concepts of innovation,coordination,green,openness and sharing,and then to evaluate the spatial differenti-ation of China’s HQTE based on provincial panel data from 2009 to 2018.Specifically,we employ the spatial convergence model to ex-plore the absolute and conditionalβconvergence trends of HQTE in the whole country and the eastern,central and western regions of China.Our empirical results reveal that:1)within the decade,from 2009 to 2018,regions of China with the highest HQTE index is its eastern region followed by the central region and then the western region,but the fastest growing one is the western region of China fol-lowed by the central region and then the eastern region.2)Whether or not the spatial effect is included,there are absolute and condition-alβconvergence in HQTE in the whole country and aforementioned three regions.3)The degree of government attention as well as the level of economic development and location accessibility are the positive driving factors for the convergence of HQTE in the whole country and the three regions.The degree of marketization and human capital have not passed the significance test either in the whole country or in the three regions.The above conclusions could deepen the understanding of the regional imbalance and spatial conver-gence characteristics of HQTE,clarify the primary development objects,and accomplish the goal of China’s HQTE.

Impact of Hinterland Manufacturing on the Development of Container Ports: Evidence from the Pearl River Delta, China

Container ports and hinterland manufacturing are two important forces of the local participation in economic globalization.This study,taking the Pearl River Delta(PRD),China with an export-oriented economy as an example,applies Huff and panel regres-sion models to evaluate the impact of hinterland manufacturing on the development of container ports during the period of 1993–2019.The results show that 1)the spatial patterns of hinterlands for hub ports help to determine the distribution range and scale of economic variables that affect port throughput;2)the hinterland’s gross manufacturing output has universally positive influence on port through-put,wherein export-oriented processing and the entire manufacturing industry have significantly positive impact on port throughput in 1993–2011 and 2001–2019,respectively;3)the two internal structural factors related to an export-oriented economy,labor-intensive sectors and foreign-funded terminals,have positively moderate the direct influence of hinterland manufacturing on port throughput.Our results highlight the importance of local context in understanding port-manufacturing relationship in developing economies.Based on our findings,policy implications are further proposed to enhance port network organization in PRD.

Human Rights and Development:China's Contributions Based on a Larger Concept of Human Rights

The Western liberal view of global governance can no longer effectively address the challenges facing the world today or respond to the demands of developing countries in the fields of human rights and development.Meanwhile,the United Nations human rights and development agenda also has its limitations.Against such a backdrop,China's path of human rights development has avoided the trap of human rights confrontation and the clash of civilizations.It has set an example of complementarity and positive interaction between human rights and development by unifying collective human rights with individual human rights and integrating the universality and particularity of human rights.Xi Jinping,general secretary of the Communist Party of China(CPC)Central Committee,delivered a speech at the 37th group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on China's Path of Human Rights Development.This elevated China's human rights development to a new historical height.Practice has proved that China's concept and path of human rights in the new era have not only effectively promoted the development of its human rights cause,but also contributed Chinese wisdom to the global cause of human rights and development with a larger concept of human rights.Under the framework of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind,the Belt and Road Initiative,and the Global Development Initiative,China has contributed to enhancing the discourse power of developing countries in human rights and building a fairer,more just,more reasonable and more inclusive system for global human rights governance.

A Study on the Contribution of Vocational Education and Training to the Industrial Development in China

Vocational education and training are an important part of China’s national education system.The two essential characteristics of employment orientation and social service determine that vocational education has a closer connection with social production than other types of education.At present,China’s economic development is in a new stage of transformation and upgrading.The new normal of the economy will inevitably require a corresponding new normal of vocational education and training.The transformation of social needs will eventually lead to changes in the composition of the workforce.Vocational education and training should be aligned with the characteristics of the new normal economy.Using mixed research methods,this study focuses on vocational education and training and explores how it contributes to industrial development in China.

Eco-environment Evolution and Its Sustainable Development Strategies in Western China

Natural condition in Western China is relatively poor and regional economy level is low. The ecological environment has been seriously damaged by population growth and over-exploitation of natural resources. It is very important for coordinating the regional development and safeguarding ecological security to discuss the eco-environment evolution trend and its sustainable development strategies in Western China. Based on analyzing documents and relative research,the changes of main ecological and environmental problems in the western region,such as degradation of forest and grassland ecosystems,shrinkage of wetland,desertification,water and soil erosion,etc. were synthetically discussed. Then,according to the development trend,some countermeasures for eco-environment protection and rehabilitation and sustainable development were proposed.

Influencing Factors and Improvement Suggestions for Agricultural Green Development Performance:Empirical Insights from China

Agricultural green development is an essential direction for global sustainable agriculture.The academic literature,however,needs to place greater emphasis on studying the factors influencing agricultural green development performance and how such performance can be improved.A theoretical framework for agricultural green development performance was constructed in this paper using the Super-SBM model,which considers undesirable outputs,to measure the agricultural green development performance of 330 cities at or above the prefecture level in China(excluding Tibet Autonomous Region,Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan of China)from 2007 to2018.Furthermore,the influencing mechanism of agricultural green development performance was then analyzed using a spatial econometric model.The results show that:1)from 2007 to 2018,China’s agricultural green development performance experienced three stages of evolution:‘rise,decline and rise’.2)The regions with high performance agricultural green development are mainly distributed in eastern China,northeastern China,and southern Qinghai Province.3)The agricultural economic level,industrialization process,and labor quality play significant roles in promoting local agricultural green development performance,while such performance is obviously inhibited by the openness level and the government’s environmental regulations.Local agricultural green development performance is significant inhibited by the agricultural economic level and accelerated industrialization process in neighboring cities,while significantly promoted by the agricultural industrial structure in neighboring cities.Some suggestions for improving agricultural green development performance are proposed based on these research results,which can provide scientific references for promoting sustainable agriculture.

Pioneering a New Realm of Human Rights Civilization in the Chinese Path to Modernization——An Overview of the Symposium on“The Chinese Path to Modernization and the Promotion of Free and Comprehensive Human Development”

On October 14,2023,a symposium themed“The Chinese Path to Modernization and the Promotion of Free and Comprehensive Human Development”was held in Changchun,Jilin Province,China.More than fifty experts,scholars,and researchers from national institutions and universities engaged in discussions and exchanges on human rights on the Chinese path to modernization,including the path,practice,knowledge systems,and civilization forms of human rights.This symposium played a significant role in advancing the construction of the disciplinary system,academic system,and discourse system of human rights in China.

Classification and Spatial Pattern of Township Development in Liaoning Province, China

The classification of township development types is an urgent problem that requires solution to enable the township to choose an appropriate development path.Using a township development classification method,we determine the township development types and their spatial patterns in Liaoning Province,China.The results showed that the patterns of township development types based on their general advantages had significant spatial differentiations.The planting,and livestock and poultry breeding township development types based on general advantages were mainly distributed across the central plain of Liaoning Province,China,and also concentrated in Dandong City−Dalian City along Yellow Sea coast,and in the northwest of Chaoyang City.The business and tourism,industry and mining,and residence township development types based on general advantages were distributed mainly along the Shenyang–Dalian Economic Belt in the central and southern Liaoning Province.The ecology township development type based on general advantages was mainly distributed in the eastern and western Liaoning Province to maintain regional ecological security.Township development types based on non-advantages were sporadically distributed in the middle and western Liaoning Province.Based on the classification and spatial patterns,the differences between the distribution of twonship development types and the plan for the major functional areas of Liaoning Province were proposed which could provide the basis for the optimization of the major functional areas.

Spatiotemporal Differences and Classification Regulation of Urbanization Impact on Agricultural Development in Shrinking Areas:A Case Study of 15 Shrinking Cities in Three Provinces of Northeast China

Studying the impact of urbanization on agricultural development in shrinking areas is important for maintaining food security and promoted agricultural development in China.Based on the measurement results of the shrinking cities in the three provinces of Northeast China,this paper selects 15 shrinking cities as the research object,and constructs a multi-dimensional index system to explore the impact of the urbanization level of the shrinking areas on the agricultural development in the region since 2007–2019,analyzes the influencing factors and their differences by using the geographically-weighted regression model and Geodetector,and proposes a targeted regulation strategy.The results show that:1)overall,there is a negative correlation between the urbanization level and the agricultural development level in the contracted areas of the three northeastern provinces.The urbanization level in these areas has a certain negative impact on the overall level of agricultural development;2)regarding the time dimension,the impact of urbanization level on the agricultural development level in the contracted areas of the three northeastern provinces gradually increases over time;3)regarding the spatial pattern,the overall impact of shrinking urbanization levels in the three provinces of Northeast China on the agricultural development shows a significant distribution pattern of high in the east and low in the west;4)the total population and natural population growth rate at the end of the year were the main factors influencing a certain level of urbanization on agricultural development in the shrinking cities while population density and the urban fixed asset investment rate were the secondary factors;and 5)the main reasons why the level of agricultural development in different cities was affected by the level of urbanization were different.However,they can be categorized into areas of population loss and spatial construction,which can be further divided into area of population loss in the northeast,areas of negative population growth in the west,and areas of urban spatial change in the south.According to the causes of the impact,this paper adopted targeted regulation strategies and formulated relevant policies and solutions that cater to local conditions.

Counteraction to China?Impact of the U.S.International Development Finance Corporation on China’s Development Finance

The United States passed the Better Utilization of Investment Leading to Development(BUILD Act),as a counterweight to China’s overseas development activities.Under the Act,the US established a new federal agency,the U.S.International Development Finance Corporation(DFC),to enhance U.S.development financing capabilities.To better understand the impact of the DFC on China’s development finance,this article analyzes the DFC’s purpose,functions,structure,and funding.Then it focuses on the purpose of establishing the DFC,providing a preliminary analysis of the potential motivation for its establishment.It also compares the China Development Bank(CDB)and the DFC based on their focused sectors.Finally,through an in-depth analysis of financial frictions in China-U.S.relations,this article argues that the DFC competes with China’s overseas development financing activities in the context of broader strategic competition between China and the U.S.

Spatial-temporal Dynamics and Driving Forces of Land Development Intensity in the Western China from 2000 to 2015

The change in land development intensity is an important perspective to reflect the variation in regional social and economic development and spatial differentiation.In this paper,spatial statistical analysis,Ordinary Least Squares(OLS),and Geographically weighted regression(GWR)methods are used to systematically analyse the spatial-temporal characteristics and driving forces of land development intensity for 131 spatial units in the western China from 2000 to 2015.The findings of the study are as follows:1)The land development intensity in the western China has been increasing rapidly.From 2000 to 2015,land development intensity increased by 3.4 times on average.2)The hotspot areas have shifted from central Inner Mongolia,northern Shaanxi and the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi to the Guanzhong Plain and the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration.The areas of cold spots were mainly concentrated in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,Yunnan,and Xinjiang.3)Investment intensity and the natural environment have always been the main drivers of land development intensity in the western China.Investment played a powerful role in promoting land development intensity,while the natural and ecological environment distinctly constrained such development.The effect of the economic factors on land development intensity in the western China has changed,which is reflected in the driving factor of construction land development shifting from economic growth in 2000 to economic structure,especially industrial structure,in 2015.

Integrated ecosystem assessment for western development of China

The objectives of Integrated Ecosystem Assessment for Western Development of China includes: (1) providing scientific basis for ecosystem protection, ecosystem management and ecological construction in the western development; (2) developing complete database and analytical tools and strengthening decision-making support capacity; and (3) improving ecosystem management in China, spreading ecological knowledge to the public, serving decision-making of local and central governments, and promoting socio-economic sustainable development. The design and implementation of the project are of significance under the macro background of western development of China. By the integrated assessment of western China, we can get the first-hand data covering all the environmental factors as well as disclose the situations and their changing trends of ecosystem in the western part of China, which will benefit the decision-making for the central and local governments in the implementation of the western development strategy. In other words, the implementation of the project, to a certain extent, can guarantee the regional sustainable development of western China.

THE PROCESS AND STRATEGY OF URBANIZATION DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHWEST CHINA

It is pointed out that the proportion of urban population is high but synthetical urbanization level is low in northwest China.The urban spacial distribution is influenced by usage of water resource,exploitation of mineral resource and constrained by transportation lines. The urban distribution is equipped with beaded characteristic.It reveals that the main obstruction for urbanization are fragile economic basement, weak transportation facilities,low synthetical transportation capacity.It provides strategies of developing modern transportation,strengthening resource exploitation concentratively developing leading industries, establishing self-growh mechanism to improve urbanization level as a whole.

Simulation of Morphological Development of Soil Cracks in Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley Region, Southwest China

Soil cracking is an important process influencing water and solutes transport in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley region of Southwest China. Studying the morphological development of soil cracks helps to further reveal the close relationship between the soil cracking process and water movement in such semi-arid regions. Here we report regular changes on surface morphology of soil cracks with decreasing water in four different soils (Typ-Ustic Ferrisols,Ver-Ustic Ferrisols,Tru-Ustic Vertisols and Typ-Ustic Vertisols) through simulation experiments. Our results indicate the following: 1) Different soils ultimately have different development degrees of soil cracks,according to their various values of crack area density. Soil cracks in Typ-Ustic Ferrisols can only develop to the feeble degree,while those in the other three soils are capable of developing into the intensive degree,and even into the extremely intensive degree. 2) Soil crack complexity,as expressed by the value of the area-weighted mean of crack fractal dimension (AWMFRAC),is found to continuously decrease as a whole through the whole cracking process in all the studied soils. 3) Soil crack connectivity shows a uniform trend in the studied soils,that is to say,connectivity gradually increases with soil crack development.

ENVIRONMENTAL MIGRATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT——A Case Study of Southwest China

This paper focuses on migration occurrence as a result of environmental degradation and population growth. It briefly reviews previous practices in some less developed courtries and then considers the extent to which environmental factors have been and may be significant in initiating migration. A case study of the karst region of southwest China is used to illustrate the phenomenon, including root causes, restrictive factors, nature of the migration, desires of migrants, strategies of response and optional policies. It is argued that a comprehensive approach to the prevention of environmentally caused displacement should be developed.

Green and compatible industrial development in Western China

Western China has lagged a lot in terms of industrial structure and economic development,compared with the national average.And China announced its target of CO_2 emission reduction,i.e.by 2020,CO_2 emission per GDP will drop by40-45%compared with 2005.The target will be incorporated into China's long-term industrial planning.Against this background,this paper will make a comprehensive examination of the industrial development of Western China,aiming to discover a green and compatible way.First,we analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of regional industrial structure for the period 2000-2010.Second,we try to discover the industrial structure optimization path for Western China by employing the Vector Auto Regression model.Lastly,we try to provide some advice and suggestions for further industrial development in Western China.Our examination shows that further industrial development in Western China should pay full attention to resource conservation and recycling,and develop on a green and compatible path.

China’s Western Development Strategy for Modernization Drive

The Western Development Strategy(WDS)is a key aspect of China’s coordinated regional development strategy and effort to build a modern country.The world is undergoing profound changes that have not been witnessed in a century.This paper discusses the WDS’s importance in regards to China’s modernization drive and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.First,this paper identifies the WDS’s mission to improve people’s livelihood in China’s western regions,promote common prosperity for the Eurasian continent,and support the green transition of China’s and Eurasian energy economic and environmental systems,and safeguard ecological security in Asia at large.Second,this paper suggests that the key to the WDS is to reshape the geographical layout of economic activity in the western regions to avoid inefficiency.Specifically,China should develop a compact geographical layout of economic activity in the western regions,introduce a unique competition strategy,as well as find solutions for coordinated regional development based on key river basins.Finally,develop smart internet and inland free ports within the western regions.

An Evolutionary Economic Geography Perspective on Types of Operation Development in West Lake, China

The types of operation play a key role in facilitating tourism consumption and economic development in a tourism destination. By adopting evolutionary economic geography theory, the paper analyzes the types of operation in West Lake Scenic Area from 1978 to 2013. First, an evolution process consisting of four stages is underpinned, and they are: the new establishment stage, the preliminary development stage, the speedup development stage, and the stabilized maturity stage. Specifically, the distinct characteristics associated with operation types are compared and evaluated at different stages throughout the process. The evolution trees are introduced to scrutinize types of operation development. The results of evolution trees demonstrate the substantial increase in both numbers and types. Second, by applying GIS spatial analysis, the paper also analyzes the spatial evolution characteristics on the types of operation, and the results unveil the co-existence of centripetal and centrifugal forces: the processes of spatial agglomeration and spatial dispersion. More specifically, we recognize the spatial process includes the emergence of node and concentration(1978–1995), the sparse distribution and intensity reduction(1996–2002), the patchy distribution and spatial agglomeration intensification(2003–2008), the dispersed distribution and core area agglomeration(2009–2013). Lastly, path dependence on resource endowment, government and market innovation, knowledge learning and spillover can reasonably explain the types of operation evolution. In conclusion, the evolutionary economic geography theories provide new theoretical and empirical perspectives for tourism policy analysis. At the same time, our comprehensive evidences impart more comprehensive insights and offer useful managerial and policy implications.

Coordinated management of energy and mineral resources development and control of pollution in Western China

Natural environment is fragile and harsh in Western China where rich energy and mineral resources are endowed,enabling energy and mining development to become a pillar industry of the regions socioeconomic development This paper identified the key issues and challenges faced by eco-environment as a result of energy and mining development in Western China.We argued mat mining and energy development have caused various environmental problems,and that environmental degradation is increasingly prominent in Western China,hence,we request coordinated resource development and environmental protection for sustainable development in this region.Based on the above recognitions,this paper put forward relevant policy recommendations:promoting green development vigorously and developing new green energy;formulating and enforcing environmental protection laws and regulations,improving ecological compensation mechanism;establishing green threshold;strengthening integration between western resource-based cities and coastal region to get rid of the"resource curse";improving energy and mineral resources development stakeholders'involvement;coordinating resource taxes and local development funds;and strengthening independent third-party supervision in the whole process of energy and mining

STAGES AND POTENTIALITY OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT INARID NORTHWESTERN CHINA

The processes of water resources exploitation and utilization can be divided into three stages by water resources transformation, and the history, present situation and future trend of water resources development in piedmont areas around high mountains of arid northwestern China. The three stages are: the stage of surface water development (the first stage), the stage of comprehensive development of surface and ground water (the second stage) and the stage of economical development of water rare (the third stage). The three stages link each other and show the law and processes of water resources exploitation and utilization associated with social and technological progess. The economical water policy should run through the three stages. On this point, however, the third stage differs from the others, particularly, refering to irrigated agriculture. The third stage has more progressive significance because it breaks the traditional ideas on water resources development. According to our investigation and calculation, under present conditions of water resources development, the net used water is about 160 × 108 m3, accounting for 18% of the total water resources of northwestern China. The water resources have not ben fully develop. If the first stage is finished, the exploitable water can be increased by 91 %. After the second stage, furthermore, it can be increased by 216%.