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Evolution of China’s Coastal Economy since the Belt and Road Initiative Based on Nighttime Light Imagery

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  • Xiaohan Wang

    (College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    Zhejiang University Urban—Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China)

  • Minqiang Zhou

    (Zhejiang University Urban—Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China)

  • Yining Xia

    (College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Junshen Zhang

    (ZJU Qizhen Future City Tec (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China)

  • Jianting Sun

    (Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 311121, China)

  • Bin Zhang

    (Zhejiang University Urban—Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China)

Abstract

The joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road proposed by China has brought major development opportunities for the development of countries and regions along the routes. Traditional GDP statistics based on administrative units cannot describe the spatial differences of GDP within administrative units, which has certain limitations in exploring regional economic development analysis and supporting economic development decision making. Based on NPP-VIIRS luminous remote sensing data, land use data, and statistical yearbook data, this paper analyzes the spatial–temporal evolution pattern of economic level in China’s coastal economic belt from 2012 to 2021 using the Moran index and standard deviation ellipse. An unbalanced distribution of economic development are found along China coastal area and the economic gravity center moved southwest since the Belt and Road Initiative. The results show thatthe Yangtze River Delta was extremely active , and the economic growth of the south was better than that of the north. The grided GDP map presents more details of regional economic development, and provides an opportunity for further mechanisms exploration of the development process.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaohan Wang & Minqiang Zhou & Yining Xia & Junshen Zhang & Jianting Sun & Bin Zhang, 2024. "Evolution of China’s Coastal Economy since the Belt and Road Initiative Based on Nighttime Light Imagery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:1255-:d:1331778
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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