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Divergent Means and Convergent Inequality of Incomes among the Provinces and Cities of Urban China

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  • John Knight
  • Shi Li
  • Renwei Zhao

Abstract

Two precisely comparable national household surveys relating to 1988 and 1995 are used to analyse changes in the inequality of income in urban China. Over those seven years province mean income per capita grew rapidly but diverged across provinces, whereas intra-province income inequality grew rapidly but converged across provinces. The reasons for these trends are explored by means of various forms of decomposition analysis. Comparisons are also made between the coastal provinces and the inland provinces.

Suggested Citation

  • John Knight & Shi Li & Renwei Zhao, 2004. "Divergent Means and Convergent Inequality of Incomes among the Provinces and Cities of Urban China," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2004-52, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:rp2004-52
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/rp2004-052.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yang, Dennis Tao, 2002. "What has caused regional inequality in China?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 331-334, December.
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    4. Xu, Lixin Colin & Zou, Heng-fu, 2000. "Explaining the changes of income distribution in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 149-170, December.
    5. Knight, J. & Shi, L. & Renwei, Z., 1999. "A Spatial Analysis of Wages and Incomes in Urban China: Divergent Means, Convergent Inequality," Economics Series Working Papers 99209, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    6. Jones, Derek C. & Li, Cheng & Owen, Ann L., 2003. "Growth and regional inequality in China during the reform era," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 186-200.
    7. Yao, Shujie & Zhang, Zongyi, 2001. "On Regional Inequality and Diverging Clubs: A Case Study of Contemporary China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 466-484, September.
    8. Bao, Shuming & Chang, Gene Hsin & Sachs, Jeffrey D. & Woo, Wing Thye, 2002. "Geographic factors and China's regional development under market reforms, 1978-1998," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 89-111.
    9. Kanbur, Ravi & Zhang, Xiaobo, 1999. "Which Regional Inequality? The Evolution of Rural-Urban and Inland-Coastal Inequality in China from 1983 to 1995," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 686-701, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yanrui Wu, 2008. "Comparing Regional Development in China and India," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2008-13, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Baeten, Steef & Van Ourti, Tom & van Doorslaer, Eddy, 2013. "Rising inequalities in income and health in China: Who is left behind?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1214-1229.

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