Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Coupling Relationship of High-Speed Railway and Economic Networks in Metropolitan Areas of China

Abstract

The planning of urban transportation infrastructure and land-related policies has a significant impact on the living conditions of urban residents and socio-economic development, particularly in emerging economies. As urbanization continues to advance, Metropolitan Areas (MAs) have become crucial for achieving industrial coordination, functional complementarity between cities, and integrated regional development. Applying Social Network Analysis (SNA), the gravity model, and Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) analysis, this study investigated the spatial-temporal distribution patterns of High-Speed Railway (HSR) networks and economic networks in MAs in China and the dynamic coupling relationship between these two networks. The findings revealed that, although core cities in the Yangtze River Delta MA in China exert varying degrees of radiation and driving effects on the economic development of surrounding cities, the overall development remains immature with a noticeable disequilibrium phenomenon. The coupling relationship between the HSR networks and the economic networks also differs significantly among different MAs. It is expected that the findings and suggestions of this study will contribute to the improvement of urban planning and governance and facilitate coordinated development between urban transportation infrastructure and the economy in emerging economies.

Spatial Effects of Railway Network Construction on Urban Sprawl and Its Mechanisms: Evidence from Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China

“…The patterns of urban sprawl mainly include infill, extension, expansion, and linear development [17]. In addition, urban sprawl shows spatial correlations and hierarchical differences, and the patterns and drivers of urban sprawl vary widely among cities in different regions at different development levels [18,19]. In China, the rate of urban sprawl is faster in the eastern coastal regions than in the western and central regions, and it is faster in prefecture-level cities than in county-level cities.…”

“…The railway network status may play an important role in the effect of the railway on urban sprawl, but there is a lack of consideration of this point. Although some scholars analyzed the characteristics of railway networks [53], they focused on its effects on urban economic development [19], not on urban sprawl. Besides these effects, in-depth research is lacking on the detailed mechanisms of how railway networks affect urban sprawl, especially on the basis of agglomeration and diffusion theory.…”

“…The regional GDP exceeded CNY 29 trillion in 2022, accounting for nearly a quarter of China's total GDP [57]. The permanent population of the YRD UA was nearly 237 million in 2022, and the urbanization rate had reached over 60% [19], ranking first among all urban The construction of a railway network can greatly improve the degree of integration of peripheral cities with a central city by strengthening the connection between the node cities in the railway network. Because of the diffusion effect, the peripheral cities with a higher integration degree can attract and benefit from the outflow of population, capital, technology, and industry from the central city, and promote their spatial diffusion on the network under the diffusion force, which drives the spatial demand in the peripheral cities.…”

“…The regional GDP exceeded CNY 29 trillion in 2022, accounting for nearly a quarter of China's total GDP [57]. The permanent population of the YRD UA was nearly 237 million in 2022, and the urbanization rate had reached over 60% [19], ranking first among all urban agglomerations in China. The YRD UA covers an area of 217,700 square kilometers, about 2.2% of China, including 36,000 square kilometers of built-up area [58].…”

Spatial Network Analysis of Coupling Coordination between Digital Financial Inclusion and Common Prosperity in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration

“…Geographical economics research has demonstrated that regional development disparities could evolve into issues of unbalanced regional development or lead to phenomena such as the "siphon effect" and the "radiating effect" in regional development [6][7][8]. Efficacious cross-regional collaborative frameworks have the potential to magnify the radiating effects from more developed to less developed regions, significantly enhancing the digital allocation of financial resources and spurring innovative outputs, thus advancing the cause of common prosperity [9,10].…”