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Impact of Free Trade (Pilot) Zone Establishment on Urban Land Use Efficiency—Empirical Evidence from Cities in China

Author

Listed:
  • Siwen Xia

    (School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

  • Jiaying Han

    (International Business School, Hainan Open Economy Research Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China)

  • Anglu Li

    (International Business School, Hainan Open Economy Research Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China)

  • Penghao Ye

    (International Business School, Hainan Open Economy Research Institute, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China)

  • Huarong Zhang

    (School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan 430073, China)

Abstract

The establishment of the Free Trade (Pilot) Zone (FTZ) is a new attempt by China to embark on modern sustainable urban planning and governmental territorial management at the development stage of a high-quality economy. As urban lands serve as the limited resource foundation for civic production and livelihoods, enhancing land use efficiency becomes a key measure to facilitate metropolitan economies of high quality. Utilizing panel data from prefecture-level cities spanning from 2005 to 2021, this study constructs a multi-period difference-in-differences model to explore the impact of FTZs on urban land use efficiency (ULUE). The results indicate that FTZs can significantly enhance urban land use efficiency, with a more pronounced policy effect observed in central cities, inland cities, and cities with higher urbanization rates. Furthermore, the FTZs also demonstrate spatial spillover effects on urban land use efficiency. This study holds great significance for relevant government departments in formulating policies to optimize land resource allocation, promote FTZ development, and foster high-quality urban planning and territorial management.

Suggested Citation

  • Siwen Xia & Jiaying Han & Anglu Li & Penghao Ye & Huarong Zhang, 2024. "Impact of Free Trade (Pilot) Zone Establishment on Urban Land Use Efficiency—Empirical Evidence from Cities in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-25, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:7:p:969-:d:1427127
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