The Impact of Economic Transformation and Public Services in New-Type Urbanization on Rural-Urban Income Gaps in Western China

Yexing  Yin; Tingting  Chen; Yuemei  Sun; Qiuping Deng

doi:10.5614/jpwk.2025.36.3.1

Authors

Yin Institute of Rural Development, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, Chengdu, China
Tingting Institute of Rural Development, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, Chengdu, China
Sun Institute of Rural Development, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, Chengdu, China
Deng Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5614/jpwk.2025.36.3.1

Keywords:

New-type urbanization, urban-rural income gap, western China, empirical analysis.

Abstract

Promoting urbanization construction with county towns as an essential carrier was a significant decision made by the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, marking a historic shift in China?s New-Type Urbanization strategy. Based on panel data from 176 counties in 21 cities in western China from 2013 to 2022, this paper empirically examines the heterogeneous effects of New-Type Urbanization on the urban-rural income gap at the county and city levels by developing a comprehensive index system for New-Type Urbanization developments. The results show that: (1) whether at the county or the city level, the construction of New-Type Urbanization significantly contributes to narrowing the urban and rural residents? income gap; (2) based on the comparative analysis of the county and city levels, it was found that taking the county as the basic unit to promote New-Type Urbanization development has more advantages in narrowing the income gap; (3) compared with city districts, promoting New-Type Urbanization construction in county towns is more beneficial for narrowing the urban-rural income gap.

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