Sustainable Development of the Economic Circle around Beijing: A View of Regional Economic Disparity

The economic circle around Beijing is a very important area that supports the development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China. The economic growths of the economic circle around Beijing are deeply affected by the regional economic disparity. Besides the resources and environment problems, economic factors may be more prominent of regional sustainability. The objective of this paper is: (1) To find out what caused the regional economic disparity of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region; and (2) to assess the economic sustainable development status of the cities around Beijing, and give suggestions to narrow the regional disparity from the economic growth view. We used an assessment method based on the economic sustainable index system—the order relation method named G1 method, revised by standard deviation. The results showed that the fundamental reason for the differences lies in the disparity in production efficiency. The disparity in the regional economy increases the flow of talent to Beijing and Tianjin, so the labor productivity of Hebei Province will not improve. Thus, the economic gap among Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin will continue to grow. This negative feedback will further exacerbate the economic growth problem. In terms of narrowing regional disparity, some implications are highlighted. Rational industrial structure, a high level of development in the manufacturing industry, and a high proportion of strategic emerging industries are important for the cities around Beijing to achieve high-level industry transfer, and the technological progress needed to promote economic growth.

Regional Inequality in Underdeveloped Areas: A Case Study of Guizhou Province in China

This study analyses regional development in one of the poorest provinces in China, Guizhou Province, between 2000 and 2012 using a multiscale and multi-mechanism framework. In general, regional inequality has been declining since 2000. In addition, economic development in Guizhou Province presented spatial agglomeration and club convergence, which shows how the development pattern of one core area, two-wing areas and a contiguous area at the edge of the province have been developed between 2006 and 2012. Multilevel regression analysis revealed that industrialization and investment level were the primary driving forces of regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province. The influences of marketization and decentralization on regional economic disparity were relatively weak. Investment level reinforced regional economic disparity and the development of core-periphery structure in the province. However, investment level actually weakened the regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province when the variable of time was considered. In addition, both the topography and urban–rural differentiation were the two main reasons for forming a core-periphery structure in Guizhou Province.

KETIMPANGAN PENDAPATAN ANTAR KABUPATEN/KOTA dan PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI di PROPINSI JAWA TIMUR

This research purposes are to analyse the intra-regional disparity and economic growth In East Java's region, the potential sectors to be developed, and to classify regions and sector in East Java based on its economic growth and per capita income. Methods that being used are economic growth analysis, Location Quotient (LQ), Shift-share, Sectoral Typology, Williamson Index, Theil Index, Pearson Correllation and Kusnetz hypothesis. The number of disadvantaged area in East Java also has to be addressed, which has reached 23 regions. Intra-regional economic disparity in 2008-2012 is above 0.5 (0,4295) and continously increasing. Meanwhile, Kuznets 'U' curve, which interpret the relationship between economic growth and disparity, is proven as unapplicable in East Java (sig-2 tailed correlation 0,160 with Williamson index and 0,257 Theil index). Recommendation to minimize the intra-regional income disparity in East Java is to apply the policy to put the disadvantaged region as the priority for the development. Potential sectors which has been the main sector for each regions are is necessary to be developed with innovation and technologyDOI: 10.15408/sjie.v4i1.2293

Explaining Party Positions on Decentralization

Debates about decentralization raise cultural questions of identity and economic questions of redistribution and efficiency. Therefore the preferences of statewide parties regarding decentralization are related to their positions on the economic and cultural ideological dimensions. A statistical analysis using data from thirty-one countries confirms this: parties on the economic right are more supportive of decentralization than parties on the economic left, while culturally liberal parties favour decentralization more than culturally conservative parties. However, country context – specifically the degree of regional self-rule, the extent of regional economic disparity and the ideology of regionalist parties – determines whether and how decentralization is linked to the two dimensions. These findings have implications for our understanding of the politics of decentralization by showing how ideology, rooted in a specific country context, shapes the ‘mindset’ of agents responsible for determining the territorial distribution of power.