IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0188868.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urban networks among Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road": A case of web search activity in cyberspace

Author

Listed:
  • Lu Zhang
  • Hongru Du
  • Yannan Zhao
  • Rongwei Wu
  • Xiaolei Zhang

Abstract

“The Belt and Road” initiative has been expected to facilitate interactions among numerous city centers. This initiative would generate a number of centers, both economic and political, which would facilitate greater interaction. To explore how information flows are merged and the specific opportunities that may be offered, Chinese cities along “the Belt and Road” are selected for a case study. Furthermore, urban networks in cyberspace have been characterized by their infrastructure orientation, which implies that there is a relative dearth of studies focusing on the investigation of urban hierarchies by capturing information flows between Chinese cities along “the Belt and Road”. This paper employs Baidu, the main web search engine in China, to examine urban hierarchies. The results show that urban networks become more balanced, shifting from a polycentric to a homogenized pattern. Furthermore, cities in networks tend to have both a hierarchical system and a spatial concentration primarily in regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta region. Urban hierarchy based on web search activity does not follow the existing hierarchical system based on geospatial and economic development in all cases. Moreover, urban networks, under the framework of “the Belt and Road”, show several significant corridors and more opportunities for more cities, particularly western cities. Furthermore, factors that may influence web search activity are explored. The results show that web search activity is significantly influenced by the economic gap, geographical proximity and administrative rank of the city.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu Zhang & Hongru Du & Yannan Zhao & Rongwei Wu & Xiaolei Zhang, 2017. "Urban networks among Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road": A case of web search activity in cyberspace," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0188868
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188868
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0188868
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0188868&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0188868?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ota, Mitsuru & Fujita, Masahisa, 1993. "Communication technologies and spatial organization of multi-unit firms in metropolitan areas," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 695-729, December.
    2. Grubesic, Tony H. & Murray, Alan T., 2005. "Geographies of imperfection in telecommunication analysis," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 69-94, February.
    3. Xingjian Liu & Ben Derudder & Kang Wu, 2016. "Measuring Polycentric Urban Development in China: An Intercity Transportation Network Perspective," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(8), pages 1302-1315, August.
    4. Devriendt, Lomme & Derudder, Ben & Witlox, Frank, 2010. "Conceptualizing digital and physical connectivity: The position of European cities in Internet backbone and air traffic flows," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 417-429, September.
    5. Grubesic, Tony H. & Matisziw, Timothy C., 2011. "A spatial analysis of air transport access and the essential air service program in the United States," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 93-105.
    6. Peter J Taylor, 2009. "Urban Economics in Thrall to Christaller: A Misguided Search for City Hierarchies in External Urban Relations," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(11), pages 2550-2555, November.
    7. Kellerman, Aharon, 1997. "Fusions of information types, media and operators, and continued American leadership in telecommunications," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 553-564, July.
    8. Charles Kunaka & Robin Carruthers, 2014. "Trade and Transport Corridor Management Toolkit," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 18241.
    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. Xia, Chang & Zhang, Anqi & Wang, Haijun & Zhang, Boen & Zhang, Yan, 2019. "Bidirectional urban flows in rapidly urbanizing metropolitan areas and their macro and micro impacts on urban growth: A case study of the Yangtze River middle reaches megalopolis, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 158-168.
    2. Yang Changwei & Li Zonghao & Guo Xueyan & Yu Wenying & Jin Jing & Zhu Liang, 2019. "Application of BP Neural Network Model in Risk Evaluation of Railway Construction," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-12, June.
    3. Sidong Zhao & Yiran Yan & Jing Han, 2021. "Industrial Land Change in Chinese Silk Road Cities and Its Influence on Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-30, July.
    4. Xia, Chang & Zhang, Anqi & Wang, Haijun & Liu, Jiafeng, 2020. "Delineating early warning zones in rapidly growing metropolitan areas by integrating a multiscale urban growth model with biogeography-based optimization," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(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. Teixeira, Filipe Marques & Derudder, Ben, 2021. "Spatio-temporal dynamics in airport catchment areas: The case of the New York Multi Airport Region," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    2. Madden, Gary & Tan, Joachim, 2007. "Forecasting telecommunications data with linear models," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 31-44, February.
    3. Gaspar, Jess & Glaeser, Edward L., 1998. "Information Technology and the Future of Cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 136-156, January.
    4. GUILLAIN, Rachel & HURIOT, Jean-Marie, 1999. "How information shapes cities: theory and facts," LATEC - Document de travail - Economie (1991-2003) 1999-05, LATEC, Laboratoire d'Analyse et des Techniques EConomiques, CNRS UMR 5118, Université de Bourgogne.
    5. Joshua Hall & Amanda Ross & Christopher Yencha, 2015. "The political economy of the Essential Air Service program," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 147-164, October.
    6. Yongwang Cao & Xiong He & Chunshan Zhou, 2023. "Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Population Migration under Different Population Agglomeration Patterns—A Case Study of Urban Agglomeration in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-25, April.
    7. Franz-Josef Bade & Eckhardt Bode & Eleonora Cutrini, 2015. "Spatial fragmentation of industries by functions," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(1), pages 215-250, January.
    8. Xiaokun Su & Chenrouyu Zheng & Yefei Yang & Yafei Yang & Wen Zhao & Yue Yu, 2022. "Spatial Structure and Development Patterns of Urban Traffic Flow Network in Less Developed Areas: A Sustainable Development Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-18, July.
    9. Sismanidou, Athina & Tarradellas, Joan & Bel, Germà & Fageda, Xavier, 2013. "Estimating potential long-haul air passenger traffic in national networks containing two or more dominant cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 108-116.
    10. Chen, Yilin & Hou, Meng & Wang, Kun & Yang, Hangjun, 2023. "Government interventions in regional airline markets based on aircraft size—Welfare and environmental implications," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    11. Jun Wen & Hadi Hussain & Renai Jiang & Junaid Waheed, 2023. "Overcoming the Digital Divide With ICT Diffusion: Multivariate and Spatial Analysis at China’s Provincial Level," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    12. Gilles Duranton, 1997. "La nouvelle économie géographique : agglomération et dispersion," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 131(5), pages 1-24.
    13. Maryiam Haroon, 2013. "The Effects of Agglomeration on the Formation and Scale of Operation of New Firms," CREB Working papers 3-2013, Centre for Research in Economics and Business, The Lahore School of Economics, revised 2013.
    14. Shreyas Gadgin Matha & Patricio Goldstein & Jessie Lu, 2020. "Air Transportation and Regional Economic Development: A Case Study for the New Airport in South Albania," Growth Lab Working Papers 158, Harvard's Growth Lab.
    15. Fujita, Masahisa & Krugman, Paul, 1995. "When is the economy monocentric?: von Thunen and Chamberlin unified," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 505-528, August.
    16. Andres Dominguez & Hernán Enríquez Sierra & Nicolás Cuervo Ballesteros, 2021. "Regional Spatial Structure and Land Use: Evidence from Bogotá and 17 Municipalities," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-22, August.
    17. Mi Ye & Ben Derudder & Lei Jiang & Freke Caset & Yingcheng Li, 2023. "The Effects of Urban Polycentricity on Particulate Matter Emissions From Vehicles: Evidence From 102 Chinese Cities," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 135-147.
    18. Guy Michaels & Ferdinand Rauch & Stephen J Redding, 2019. "Task Specialization in U.S. Cities from 1880 to 2000," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(3), pages 754-798.
    19. Duranton, Gilles & Puga, Diego, 2005. "From sectoral to functional urban specialisation," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 343-370, March.
    20. Yue, Wenze & Wang, Tianyu & Liu, Yong & Zhang, Qun & Ye, Xinyue, 2019. "Mismatch of morphological and functional polycentricity in Chinese cities: An evidence from land development and functional linkage," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:plo:pone00:0188868. 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: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    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.