Temporal Variability of Tropospheric NO_(2)over Cities in the United States,Western Europe and China from 2005 to 2022

Anthropogenic Nitrogen oxides(NO_(x)=NO_(2)+NO)emissions are highly concentrated in urban area,and the weekly cycles,seasonal patterns and long-term trends of tropospheric NO_(2)columns over cities differ from region to region due to different emission sectoral compositions and human activities.In this study,we used satellite observed tropospheric NO_(2)column data to compare the longand short-term NO_(2)column density time series over cities in the United Sates(the U.S.),western Europe and China.The results showed that in all the targeted cities,the outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease in 2019(COVID-19)moved the December peak of the city-level NO_(2)columns forward to November and October or even earlier in 2020 and 2021.On weekly level,cities in the U.S.show the lowest NO_(2)columns ratio on weekend/work day,then come the western European cities,and a weak weekly pattern is seen in Chinese cities.For all the cites,we find a higher weekend/work day NO_(2)ratio in cold seasons than in warm seasons,indicating a higher contribution from NOx emission sectors of residential,industry and power plants in the warm seasons.In the long-term,NO_(2)columns over the U.S.and western European cities declined by a fraction twice that of the regional mean level from 2004 to 2021.In China,NO_(2)columns started to decrease since 2012,at a similar rate between the city and regional level.This work confirms the importance to quantify and control NOx emissions from cities.

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.

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.

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.

Spatiotemporal Changes of Snow Depth in Western Jilin,China from 1987 to 2018

Seasonal snow cover is a key global climate and hydrological system component drawing considerable attention due to glob-al warming conditions.However,the spatiotemporal snow cover patterns are challenging in western Jilin,China due to natural condi-tions and sparse observation.Hence,this study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of snow cover using fine-resolution passive mi-crowave(PMW)snow depth(SD)data from 1987 to 2018,and revealed the potential influence of climate factors on SD variations.The results indicated that the interannual range of SD was between 2.90 cm and 9.60 cm during the snowy winter seasons and the annual mean SD showed a slightly increasing trend(P>0.05)at a rate of 0.009 cm/yr.In snowmelt periods,the snow cover contributed to an increase in volumetric soil water,and the change in SD was significantly affected by air temperature.The correlation between SD and air temperature was negative,while the correlation between SD and precipitation was positive during December and March.In March,the correlation coefficient exceeded 0.5 in Zhenlai,Da’an,Qianan,and Qianguo counties.However,the SD and precipitation were neg-atively correlated over western Jilin in October,and several subregions presented a negative correlation between SD and precipitation in November and April.

Analysis of Summer Cold Vortex Activity Anomalies in Northeastern China and Their Relationship with Regional Precipitation and Temperature

The Northeastern China cold vortex(NCCV)is one type of strong cyclonic vortex that occurs near Northeastern China(NEC),and NCCV activities are typically accompanied by a series of hazardous weather.This paper employed an automatic algorithm to identify the NCCVs from 1979 to 2018 and analyzed their circulation patterns and climatic impacts by using the defined NCCV intensity index(NCCVI).The analysis revealed that the NCCV activities in summer exhibited a strong inter-annual variability,with an obvious periodicity of 3-4 years and 6-7 years,but without significant trends.In years when the NCCVI was high,NEC experienced negative geopotential height anomalies,cyclonic circulation,and cooler temperature anomalies,which were conducive to the maintenance and development of NCCV activities.Furthermore,large amounts of water vapor converged in NEC through two transportation routes as the NCCVs intensified,leading to a significant positive(negative)correlation with the summer precipitation(surface temperature)in NEC.The Atlantic sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies were closely related to summer NCCV activities.As the Atlantic SST rose,large amounts of surface sensible and latent heat flux were transported into the lower troposphere,inducing a positive geopotential height anomaly that occurred on the east side of the heat source.As a result,an eastward diverging flow was formed in the upper troposphere and propagated downstream,i.e.,the eastward propagating Rossby wave train,which eventually led to a coupled circulation in the Ural Mountains and NEC,as well as more intensive NCCV activities in summer.

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.

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.

A comparative study of the main factors controlling geohazards induced by 10 strong earthquakes in Western China since the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008

Determining the main controlling factors of earthquake-triggered geohazards is a prerequisite for studying earthquake geohazards and post-disaster emergency response.By studying these factors,the geomorphic and geological factors controlling the nature,condition,and distribution of earthquake-induced geohazards can be analyzed.Such insights facilitate earthquake disaster prediction and emergency response planning.The authors combined field investigations and spatial data analysis to examine geohazards induced by seismic events,examining ten earthquakes including the Wenchuan,Yushu,Lushan events,to elucidate the main control factors of seismic geohazard.The authors observed that seismic geohazard occurrence is usually affected by many factors,among which active nature of the seismogenic fault,seismic peak ground acceleration(PGA),topographic slope and geomorphic height differences,and distance from the fault zone and river system are the most important.Compared with strike-slip earthquakes,thrust earthquakes induce more high-altitude and high-speed remote landslides,which can cause great harm.Slopes of 0°–40°are prone to secondary seismic geohazards,which are mainly concentrated 0–6 km from the river system.Secondary geohazards are not only related to seismogenic fault but also influenced by the associated faults in the earthquake area.The maximum seismic PGA and secondary seismic geohazard number are positively correlated,and the horizontal and vertical ground motions play leading and promoting roles in secondary geohazard formation,respectively.Through the research,the spatial distribution of seismic geohazards is predicted,providing a basis for the formulation of emergency response plans following disasters.

Sedimentary evolution and control factors of the Rizhao Canyons in the Zhongjiannan Basin, western South China Sea

Submarine canyon is an important channel for long-distance sediment transport, and an important part of deepwater sedimentary system. The large-scale Rizhao Canyons have been discovered for the first time in 2015 in the continental slope area of the western South China Sea. Based on the interpretation and analysis of multi-beam bathymetry and two-dimensional multi-channel seismic data, the geology of the canyons has however not been studied yet. In this paper, the morphology and distribution characteristics of the canyon are carefully described,the sedimentary filling structure and its evolution process of the canyon are analyzed, and then its controlling factors are discussed. The results show that Rizhao Canyons group is a large slope restricted canyon group composed of one east-west west main and nine branch canyons extending to the south. The canyon was formed from the late Miocene to the Quaternary. The east-west main canyon is located in the transition zone between the northern terrace and the southern Zhongjiannan Slope, and it is mainly formed by the scouring and erosion of the material source from the west, approximately along the slope direction. Its development and evolution is mainly controlled by sediment supply and topographic conditions, the development of 9 branch canyons is mainly controlled by gravity flow and collapse from the east-west main canyon. This understanding result is a supplement to the study of “source-channel–sink” sedimentary system in the west of the South China Sea, and has important guiding significance for the study of marine geological hazards.

Nitrate isotope dynamics in the lower euphotic-upper mesopelagic zones of the western South China Sea

The dual isotopes(N and O)of nitrate were measured using a denitrifier bacterial method in the western South China Sea(WSCS)during September 2015 to elucidate key information during N transformation in the lower euphotic zone(LEZ)-upper mesopelagic zone(UMZ,down to 500 m in this study)continuum,which is a vital sub-environment for marine N cycle and sequestration of atmospheric CO_(2)as well.The N isotopic composition(δ^(15)N)of nitrate generally decreased from 500 m toward the base of the euphotic zone(∼100 m),reaching a value of∼4.6‰(vs.air N_(2))at the base of the LEZ,suggesting the imprint of remineralization(nitrification)of isotopically light N from atmospheric source.Theδ^(15)N andδ18O of nitrate only generally conform to a 1:1 line at 50 m and 75 m,suggesting that nitrate assimilation is a dominant process to shape nitrate isotope signature in this light-limited and relatively N-replete lower part of the euphotic zone.The fractionation factors of N and O isotopes during nitrate fractionation(15εASSIM,18εASSIM)using a steady-state model were estimated to be 4.0‰±0.3‰and 5.4‰±0.3‰,respectively.The occurrence of nitrification at the base of the LEZ and most of the UMZ is corroborated by the decoupling ofδ^(15)N and the oxygen isotopic composition(δ18O)of nitrate.Our results will provide insights for better understanding N cycle in the South China Sea from a perspective of present and past.

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.

Research on the Industrial Transfer and Restructuring Path of the Energy-Intensive Manufacturing Industry in Western China

The orderly transfer of the manufacturing industry is a major action in China’s industrial restructuring.From the perspective of industrial transfer,we used the concentration ratio to depict the trend of the industrial transfer of energy-intensive manufacturing in the eastern,central,and western regions since the policy of large-scale development of western China was implemented.We measured the total factor productivity(TFP)of western China using the DEAMalmquist index method.We conducted a regression analysis to measure the effect of western China’s undertaking of the transfer of the energy-intensive manufacturing industry.The findings of this study show that during 2000–2019,eleven provinces(as well as autonomous regions and municipalities)in western China undertook the transfer of the energy-intensive manufacturing industry from the eastern and central regions to varying degrees,exhibiting significant phase features regarding the rate and scale of transfers.Further investigation also demonstrated that the transfer of energy-intensive manufacturing industries has a U-shaped enabling effect on TFP in western China with the scale effect greater than the technology effect.Therefore,it is necessary to transition from“extensive industrial transfer”at the cost of the labor force,land,and resources to“modern industrial transfer”featured by technology and efficiency improvements to contribute to industrial restructuring in western China effectively.

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.

Coordination Mechanism and Empirical Research on Marine Science Technology Innovation and Marine Eco-civilization:A Case Study of Coastal Areas of China

Marine science technology innovation provides power and guarantees for marine eco-civilization construction,which provides direction and material support for marine science technology innovation.Therefore,the coordinated development of the two is of great significance to the marine economy sustainable development in China’s coastal areas.On the basis of clarifying the connotations of marine science technology innovation and marine eco-civilization in China’s coastal areas from 2006 to 2019,the mechanism for their coordinated development was analysed.A comprehensive indicator system based on the connotation of the two was constructed,and the coordinated development relationship was empirically tested using the coupled coordination model and the panel vector autoregressive(PVAR)model.The results show that:1)the level of China’s coastal marine science technology innovation continues to improve,gradually forming the core of the development of marine science technology innovation in the north,east and south of Shandong,Shanghai and Guangdong;the level of marine eco-civilization development fluctuating upward trend,showing obvious spatial differentiation characteristics.2)The degree of coordination of marine science technology innovation and marine eco-civilization is growing over time.There is no causal relationship between marine science technology innovation and marine eco-civilization in the northern marine economic circle,but there is a two-way causal relationship between the two in the eastern and southern marine economic circles.3)Marine eco-civilization shows a significant positive and continuous impact on marine science technology innovation,and marine science technology innovation shows a long-term,continuous,fluctuating,and lagging impact on marine eco-civilization.The overall role of marine eco-civilization on marine science technology innovation is dominant,and there are significant differences in the impact effects of the two major marine economic circles.

Carrying Capacity and Coupling Coordination of Water and Land Resources Systems in Arid and Semi-arid Areas: A Case Study of Yulin City, China

Quantitatively assessing the carrying capacity of water and land resources systems in arid and semi-arid areas is crucial for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.In this work,taking Yulin City in China as a case study and employing the Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation(CRITIC)method,a modified model of coupling degree was developed to evaluate the car-rying capacity of water and land resources systems endowment and utilization,as well as their coupling coordination degree from 2013 to 2020.Our findings indicate that the water and land resources of Yulin are diminishing due to declines in agriculture,higher industrial water use,and wetland shrinkage.However,reallocating domestic water for ecological sustainability and reducing sloping farmland can mitigate this trend of decline.Temporally,as the coupling coordination between water and land resources system endowment in Yulin continuously improved,the coupling coordination between water and land resources system utilization first decreased and then in-creased with 2016 as the turning point.Spatially,the carrying capacity of water and land resources systems,the coupling coordination degree between water and land resources system endowment,and the coupling coordination degree between water and land resources system utilization in Yulin exhibited the same pattern of being higher in the six northern counties than in the six southern counties.Improving the water resources endowment is vital for the highly efficient use of water and land resources.

Comprehensive Risk Assessment of Sea Level Rise and Tropical Cyclones in Dongzhaigang Mangroves,China

Mangroves play a pivotal role in tropical and subtropical coastal ecosystem,yet they are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change,particularly the accelerated global sea level rise(SLR)and stronger tropical cyclones(TCs).However,there is a lack of research addressing future simultaneous combined impacts of the slow-onset of SLR and rapid-onset of TCs on China's mangroves.In order to develop a comprehensive risk assessment method considering the superimposed effects of these two factors and analyze risk for mangroves in Dongzhaigang,Hainan Island,China,we used observational and climate model data to assess the risks to mangroves under low,intermediate,and very high greenhouse gas(GHG)emission scenarios(such as SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5)in 2030,2050,and 2100,and compiled a risk assessment scheme for mangroves in Dongzhaigang,China.The results showed that the combined risks from SLR and TCs will continue to rise;however,SLRs will increase in intensity,and TCs will decrease.The comprehensive risk of the Dongzhaigang mangroves posed by climate change will remain low under SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5 scenarios by 2030,but it will increase substantially by 2100.While under SSP5-8.5 scenario,the risks to mangroves in Dongzhaigang are projected to increase considerably by 2050,and approximately 68.8%of mangroves will be at very high risk by 2100.The risk to the Dongzhaigang mangroves is not only influenced by the hazards but also closely linked to their exposure and vulnerability.We therefore propose climate resilience developmental responses for mangroves to address the effects of climate change.This study for the combined impact of TCs and SLR on mangroves in Dongzhaigang,China can enrich the method system of mangrove risk assessment and provide references for scientific management.

Genesis and tectonic setting of Early Jurassic granitic rocks in Huashan Town,Xingcheng,western Liaoning

There are a large number of Mesozoic intrusive and volcanic rocks in western Liaoning of China,which is an ideal place to study the Mesozoic Paleo-Pacific subduction processes,and lithospheric destruc-tion of North China Craton.Detailed petrographic,zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical studies of the Early Jurassic granites in Huashan pluton,Xingcheng,western Liaoning,indicate that the Early Jurassic granites were formed at 184-174 Ma,mainly composed of syenite and monzogranite.The geochemical characteristics show high contents of SiO_(2),Al_(2)O_(3)and Na_(2)O+K_(2)O,low contents of Fe_(2)O_(3)and MgO,enrichment in LREEs and LILEs,and depletion in HREEs and HFSEs,and have a high content of Sr and low contents of Y and Yb,with weak negative Eu anomalies and slightly negative anomalies of Ce,indicating that they are a set of intermediate-acidic adakitic granites in high-K calc-alkaline series.All the facts significantly suggest that the Early Jurassic adakitic granites were formed at the active continental margin in the context of Paleo-Pacific plate subduction.

The road map for green development of Western China

China has made some remarkable achievements in sustainable development,but the constant deterioration of the overall trend of the environment has not yet been effectively curbed.To achieve the goal of sustainable development,we must first ensure coordination and coherence of national development goals in different areas and adhere to green development road.To achieve the objectives related to green development,and to clarify the direction of green development in the next 20years,a road map is needed to guide and coordinate the process.This paper describes the concept of the green development road map,introduces a green development road map for the western region,and further elaborates it The road map clarifies the objectives and guiding principles of green development in the western region,points the areas that deserve more concern and institutional innovation,and builds a green development monitoring and evaluation(M&E)framework.Finally,the paper provides corresponding policy recommendations based on the established road map.