IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v99y2020icp20-30.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On the joint impact of high-speed rail and megalopolis policy on regional economic growth in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yang, Zhiwei
  • Li, Can
  • Jiao, Jingjuan
  • Liu, Wei
  • Zhang, Fangni

Abstract

This paper quantifies multifold effects of megalopolis (MP) and high-speed railway (HSR) inaugurations on regional economic growth, in the context of MP and HSR development in China during 1996–2017. Three types of policy interventions are examined, i.e., MP inauguration, HSR introduction, and the joint intervention of MP and HSR. The difference-in-differences (DID) method is adopted to quantify these effects among different groups of prefecture-level cities in China. Specifically, we firstly examine the effects of MP and HSR inaugurations on prefectural economic output, respectively. The simultaneous and joint impact of MP and HSR is then estimated by examining the effect of their interaction. We find that while both MP inauguration and HSR induction have stimulating effects on regional economic growth, the effect of MP inauguration is dominating. Moreover, the joint intervention of MP and HSR is significantly larger than either MP or HSR, and even larger than the sum of two individual effects. Comparing the effects of HSR among different city groups, we find that MP cities are likely to benefit more from HSR service than those not in an MP. Among various MPs, the joint intervention tends to be associated with larger economic growth in MPs with better economic development foundations. These observations imply that the strategical and transport policy interventions have reinforcing effects on one another. However, the simultaneous impact may contribute to regional development disparity since the most developed regions may benefit more from the joint intervention by siphoning resources from disadvantaged regions. Overall, the results shed lights on the interactive developments of transportation infrastructure and urban agglomerations.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Zhiwei & Li, Can & Jiao, Jingjuan & Liu, Wei & Zhang, Fangni, 2020. "On the joint impact of high-speed rail and megalopolis policy on regional economic growth in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 20-30.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:99:y:2020:i:c:p:20-30
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2020.08.007
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X20305114
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2020.08.007?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2016. "Airlines’ reaction to high-speed rail entries: Empirical study of the Northeast Asian market," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 532-557.
    2. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    3. Lvhua Wang & Yongxue Liu & Liang Mao & Chao Sun, 2018. "Potential Impacts of China 2030 High-Speed Rail Network on Ground Transportation Accessibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Jiao, Jingjuan & Wang, Jiaoe & Jin, Fengjun, 2017. "Impacts of high-speed rail lines on the city network in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 257-266.
    5. Jia, Shanming & Zhou, Chunyu & Qin, Chenglin, 2017. "No difference in effect of high-speed rail on regional economic growth based on match effect perspective?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 144-157.
    6. Chen, Zhenhua & Haynes, Kingsley E., 2015. "Impact of high speed rail on housing values: an observation from the Beijing–Shanghai line," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 91-100.
    7. Anthony J. Venables, 2007. "Evaluating Urban Transport Improvements: Cost-Benefit Analysis in the Presence of Agglomeration and Income Taxation," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 41(2), pages 173-188, May.
    8. Meng, Xuechen & Lin, Shanlang & Zhu, Xiaochuan, 2018. "The resource redistribution effect of high-speed rail stations on the economic growth of neighbouring regions: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 178-191.
    9. Chen, Zhenhua & Haynes, Kingsley E., 2017. "Impact of high-speed rail on regional economic disparity in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 80-91.
    10. Rice, Patricia & Venables, Anthony J. & Patacchini, Eleonora, 2006. "Spatial determinants of productivity: Analysis for the regions of Great Britain," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 727-752, November.
    11. Lechner, Michael, 2011. "The Estimation of Causal Effects by Difference-in-Difference Methods," Foundations and Trends(R) in Econometrics, now publishers, vol. 4(3), pages 165-224, November.
    12. Yu Qin, 2017. "‘No county left behind?’ The distributional impact of high-speed rail upgrades in China," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 489-520.
    13. Roger Vickerman, 1997. "High-speed rail in Europe: experience and issues for future development," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 31(1), pages 21-38.
    14. Bollinger, Christopher R. & Ihlanfeldt, Keith R., 1997. "The Impact of Rapid Rail Transit on Economic Development: The Case of Atlanta's MARTA," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 179-204, September.
    15. Daniel J. Graham, 2007. "Agglomeration, Productivity and Transport Investment," Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, University of Bath, vol. 41(3), pages 317-343, September.
    16. Zhang, Fangni & Graham, Daniel J. & Wong, Mark Siu Chun, 2018. "Quantifying the substitutability and complementarity between high-speed rail and air transport," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 191-215.
    17. Fangni Zhang & Daniel J. Graham, 2020. "Air transport and economic growth: a review of the impact mechanism and causal relationships," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(4), pages 506-528, July.
    18. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, April.
    19. Chen, Zhenhua & Xue, Junbo & Rose, Adam Z. & Haynes, Kingsley E., 2016. "The impact of high-speed rail investment on economic and environmental change in China: A dynamic CGE analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 232-245.
    20. Xu, Wangtu (Ato) & Long, Ying & Zhang, Wei, 2019. "Prioritizing future funding and construction of the planned high-speed rail corridors of China – According to regional structure and urban land development potential indices," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 381-395.
    21. Shaw, Shih-Lung & Fang, Zhixiang & Lu, Shiwei & Tao, Ran, 2014. "Impacts of high speed rail on railroad network accessibility in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 112-122.
    22. Ke, Xiao & Chen, Haiqiang & Hong, Yongmiao & Hsiao, Cheng, 2017. "Do China's high-speed-rail projects promote local economy?—New evidence from a panel data approach," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 203-226.
    23. Ma, Wenliang & Wang, Qiang & Yang, Hangjun & Zhang, Anming & Zhang, Yahua, 2019. "Effects of Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail on air travel: Passenger types, airline groups and tacit collusion," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 64-76.
    24. Melo, Patricia C. & Graham, Daniel J. & Noland, Robert B., 2009. "A meta-analysis of estimates of urban agglomeration economies," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 332-342, May.
    25. Jiao, Jingjuan & Wang, Jiaoe & Zhang, Fangni & Jin, Fengjun & Liu, Wei, 2020. "Roles of accessibility, connectivity and spatial interdependence in realizing the economic impact of high-speed rail: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1-15.
    26. Li, Hongchang & Yu, Kemei & Wang, Kun & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Market power and its determinants in the Chinese railway industry," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 261-276.
    27. Liu, Shuli & Wan, Yulai & Ha, Hun-Koo & Yoshida, Yuichiro & Zhang, Anming, 2019. "Impact of high-speed rail network development on airport traffic and traffic distribution: Evidence from China and Japan," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 115-135.
    28. Zhang, Qiong & Yang, Hangjun & Wang, Qiang & Zhang, Anming & Zhang, Yahua, 2020. "Impact of high-speed rail on market concentration and Lerner index in China's airline market," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    29. Li, Hongchang & Strauss, Jack & Lu, Liu, 2019. "The impact of high-speed rail on civil aviation in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 187-200.
    30. Diao, Mi, 2018. "Does growth follow the rail? The potential impact of high-speed rail on the economic geography of China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 279-290.
    31. (Ato) Xu, Wangtu & Zhou, Jiangping & Yang, Linchuan & Li, Ling, 2018. "The implications of high-speed rail for Chinese cities: Connectivity and accessibility," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 308-326.
    32. Lin, Yatang, 2017. "Travel costs and urban specialization patterns: Evidence from China’s high speed railway system," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 98-123.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jun‐Teng Ma & Tie‐Ying Liu, 2022. "Does the high‐speed rail network improve economic growth?," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(1), pages 183-208, February.
    2. Huang, Ying & Xu, Wangtu (Ato), 2021. "Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the impact of high-speed railway on urban economy: Empirical study of Chinese cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Xu, Guangming & Zhong, Linhuan & Hu, Xinlei & Liu, Wei, 2022. "Optimal pricing and seat allocation schemes in passenger railway systems," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. Rategh, Yalda & Tamannaei, Mohammad & Zarei, Hamid, 2022. "A game-theoretic approach to an oligopolistic transportation market: Coopetition between incumbent systems subject to the entrance threat of an HSR service," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 144-171.
    5. Wu, Yizhong & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Lee, Chi-Chuan & Peng, Diyun, 2022. "Geographic proximity and corporate investment efficiency: Evidence from high-speed rail construction in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    6. Zhang, Fangni & Yang, Zhiwei & Jiao, Jingjuan & Liu, Wei & Wu, Wenjie, 2020. "The effects of high-speed rail development on regional equity in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 180-202.
    7. Jinxing Hu & Guojie Ma & Chaohai Shen & Xiaolan Zhou, 2022. "Impact of Urbanization through High-Speed Rail on Regional Development with the Interaction of Socioeconomic Factors: A View of Regional Industrial Structure," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-21, October.
    8. Gao, Yanyan & Zheng, Jianghuai & Wang, Xin, 2022. "Does high-speed rail reduce environmental pollution? Establishment-level evidence from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    9. Chen, Fanglin & Hao, Xinyue & Chen, Zhongfei, 2021. "Can high-speed rail improve health and alleviate health inequality? Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 266-279.
    10. Norbert Szabó & Richárd Farkas & Attila Varga, 2021. "The economic effects of passenger transport infrastructure investments in lagging regions. Would the increase in commuting be beneficial for regional development?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2099-2123, December.
    11. Xu, Guangming & Liu, Wei & Wu, Runfa & Yang, Hai, 2021. "A double time-scale passenger assignment model for high-speed railway networks with continuum capacity approximation," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    12. Hiramatsu, Tomoru, 2023. "Inter-metropolitan regional migration galvanized by high-speed rail: A simulation analysis of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen line in Japan," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    13. Sun, Xinyu & Yan, Sen & Liu, Tao & Wang, Jiayin, 2023. "The impact of high-speed rail on urban economy: Synergy with urban agglomeration policy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 141-154.
    14. Liwen Liu & Ming Zhang, 2021. "The Impacts of High-Speed Rail on Regional Accessibility and Spatial Development—Updated Evidence from China’s Mid-Yangtze River City-Cluster Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-16, April.
    15. Guo, Jiahong & Lai, Xiaoying & Lu, Chenxi & Cao, Shixiong, 2022. "What has caused China’s economic growth?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    16. Liu, Zheming & Zeng, Saixing & Jin, Zhizhou & Shi, Jonathan Jingsheng, 2022. "Transport infrastructure and industrial agglomeration: Evidence from manufacturing industries in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 100-112.
    17. Li, Hui & Dong, Xiucheng & Jiang, Qingzhe & Dong, Kangyin, 2021. "Policy analysis for high-speed rail in China: Evolution, evaluation, and expectation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 37-53.
    18. Jiao, Jingjuan & Zhao, Hongyu & Lyu, Guowei, 2024. "How does high-speed rail affect off-site investments? Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiao, Jingjuan & Wang, Jiaoe & Zhang, Fangni & Jin, Fengjun & Liu, Wei, 2020. "Roles of accessibility, connectivity and spatial interdependence in realizing the economic impact of high-speed rail: Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1-15.
    2. Zhang, Fangni & Yang, Zhiwei & Jiao, Jingjuan & Liu, Wei & Wu, Wenjie, 2020. "The effects of high-speed rail development on regional equity in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 180-202.
    3. Mohsen Momenitabar & Raj Bridgelall & Zhila Dehdari Ebrahimi & Mohammad Arani, 2021. "Literature Review of Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of High-Speed Rail in the World," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-27, November.
    4. Zhang, Anming & Wan, Yulai & Yang, Hangjun, 2019. "Impacts of high-speed rail on airlines, airports and regional economies: A survey of recent research," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-19.
    5. Wu, Bingyu & Levinson, David M., 2024. "A multi-modal analysis of the effect of transport on population and productivity in China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    6. Sun, Xinyu & Yan, Sen & Liu, Tao & Wang, Jiayin, 2023. "The impact of high-speed rail on urban economy: Synergy with urban agglomeration policy," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 141-154.
    7. Wu, Shuping & Han, Dan, 2022. "Accessibility of high-speed rail (HSR) stations and HSR–air competition: Evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 262-284.
    8. Mohsen Momenitabar & Zhila Dehdari Ebrahimi & Mohammad Arani, 2020. "A Systematic and Analytical Review of the Socioeconomic and Environmental Impact of the Deployed High-Speed Rail (HSR) Systems on the World," Papers 2003.04452, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2020.
    9. Jin, Mengjie & Lin, Kun-Chin & Shi, Wenming & Lee, Paul T.W. & Li, Kevin X., 2020. "Impacts of high-speed railways on economic growth and disparity in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 158-171.
    10. Li, Hui & Dong, Xiucheng & Jiang, Qingzhe & Dong, Kangyin, 2021. "Policy analysis for high-speed rail in China: Evolution, evaluation, and expectation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 37-53.
    11. Li, Bin & Zhao, Qizi & Shahab, Yasir & Kumar, Satish, 2023. "High-speed rail construction and labor investment efficiency: Evidence from an emerging market," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Li, Hongchang & Wang, Kun & Yu, Kemei & Zhang, Anming, 2020. "Are conventional train passengers underserved after entry of high-speed rail?-Evidence from Chinese intercity markets," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 1-9.
    13. Zheng, Longfei & Long, Fenjie & Chang, Zheng & Ye, Jingsong, 2019. "Ghost town or city of hope? The spatial spillover effects of high-speed railway stations in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 230-241.
    14. Li, Xiaolong & Wu, Zongfa & Zhao, Xingchen, 2020. "Economic effect and its disparity of high speed rail in China: A study of mechanism based on synthesis control method," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 262-274.
    15. Cascetta, Ennio & Cartenì, Armando & Henke, Ilaria & Pagliara, Francesca, 2020. "Economic growth, transport accessibility and regional equity impacts of high-speed railways in Italy: ten years ex post evaluation and future perspectives," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 412-428.
    16. Huang, Ying & Xu, Wangtu (Ato), 2021. "Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the impact of high-speed railway on urban economy: Empirical study of Chinese cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    17. Liu, Mengsha & Jiang, Yan & Wei, Xiaokun & Ruan, Qingsong & Lv, Dayong, 2023. "Effect of high-speed rail on entrepreneurial activities: Evidence from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    18. Liu, Shuli & Wan, Yulai & Zhang, Anming, 2020. "Does China’s high-speed rail development lead to regional disparities? A network perspective," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 299-321.
    19. Yang, Xiaolan & Wang, Rui & Guo, Dongmei & Sun, Weizeng, 2020. "The reconfiguration effect of China's high-speed railway on intercity connection ——A study based on media attention index," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 47-56.
    20. Chen, Fanglin & Hao, Xinyue & Chen, Zhongfei, 2021. "Can high-speed rail improve health and alleviate health inequality? Evidence from China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 266-279.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:99:y:2020:i:c:p:20-30. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.