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In recent theorization of the Global Production Network (GPN) framework, viz. “GPN 2.0 theory” (Coe and Yeung, 2015), firm-specific strategies namely intra-firm coordination, inter-firm control, inter-firm partnership and extra-firm bargaining are conceptualized to understand the changing dynamics and reconfiguration of global production networks. Drawing upon the extra-firm strategies in the GPN 2.0 theory, this paper examines the spatial and organizational reconfiguration of personal computer production networks in China since late 2000s. Based on the information and data collected from years of observation and in-depth interviews with various firms and extra-firm actors, particularly government officials during June 2014 and December 2016, this study explores the emerging laptop cluster in Chongqing, a centrally-governed municipality in West China, which produced 40% of the world laptop computers in 2015. This paper argues that the rapid development in Chongqing in a short span has been attributed to the rising power of strategic partner firms of lead firms, primarily Taiwan-based contract manufacturers (e.g. Foxconn). It sheds light on the emerging strategic coupling between strategic partner firms and local government in Chongqing, which has brought about the reconfiguration of laptop production networks from the prevailed lead-firm centric to the emerging strategic partnership pattern. This study enriches the developing literature on the rise of strategic partner firms by extending the firm-centric analysis to extra-firm strategies, which echoes the extra-regional dynamics advocated recently by the Evolutionary Economic Geography (EEG) perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Regional Innovation System (RIS) needs revision to explain innovation in China. • Concept development is approached through qualitative methods to work critically. • In Chongqing, innovation is organised through two different RIS frameworks. • Institutional conditions in China hamper the convergence of the frameworks. • "Two RIS in one region" helps analysing transformation of China's innovation model. The Regional Innovation System (RIS) is a popular concept for approaching research on geographies of innovation. Political research and innovation studies in emerging economies suggest that there are much different institutional preconditions for and far more types of innovation than hitherto considered. It is thus unlikely that the RIS model as derived from "best practice" cases in the Global North has sufficient explanatory power for regional innovation dynamics in less developed regions in China. From an empirical qualitative analysis on Chongqing, China, as a non-"best practice" case, we find that it is more appropriate to consider separate RIS within one region. The analysis shows that different RIS-frameworks matter for different actors, who engage in different types of innovation. These frameworks are exclusive and do not provide their functions equally to all innovation actors in place. The separation of RIS frameworks acknowledges the co-existence of different structures and trajectories, which is explicitly helpful for understanding regional innovation dynamics in China, where the national government currently aims to transform its innovation model from state-control to an open system of innovation. This paper further discusses how the notion of separate RIS is more appropriate for capturing regional innovation dynamics in the Chinese context in contrast to previous concepts of emerging RIS or fragmented regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the characteristics and trends of rural farmland landscape transformation under the background of socioeconomic differentiation can help clarify the desires and needs of farmers in diverse rural areas and formulate scientifically-based strategies for rural managers in agricultural land management. The farmland landscape in Southwest China's rural areas is transforming from livelihood-oriented extensive agriculture to market-oriented intensive agriculture through agricultural land use conversion, planting structure adjustment, and large-scale farmland management. This paper used Google Earth's high-definition remote sensing imagery and selected typical townships from Chongqing Municipality for comparison to clarify the transformation characteristics and trends of rural farmland landscapes in Southwest China from the landscape ecology perspective. The results show that the formation of the transformed farmland landscape (TFL) bases on the conversion of cultivated land (mainly grain crop production), accompanies by a small amount of forest, shrub, and grassland. The characteristics of the TFL landscape pattern in each township are significantly different. And there is a significant agglomeration trend, mainly concentrates in low-altitude areas. TFL presents mostly a type of economic fruit forest planting in areas with large topographic fluctuations and vegetable planting in areas with low topographic fluctuations. TFL in rural areas of Southwest China is multifunctional agricultural land, formed by the combination of a forest transition process and agricultural intensification. It is essentially the functional transformation of cultivated land based on the joint action of farmers' needed economic benefits and government-supported ecological policies. • The landscape of rural farmland in Southwest China has undergone a transformation. • The theoretical background of transformed farmland landscape (TFL) is presented. • The spatiotemporal variation of TFL is explored through typical case studies. • The development modes and enlightenment of TFL are summarized. • The rural TFL has positive implications for improving rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: How to accomplish the assessment of environmental quality and its quantitative? How investments in environmental protection affect environmental quality? Such issues were hot in environment protection. This paper do an empirical analysis with data of Chongqing from 1996 to 2009 based on Set Pair Analysis methods, the results showed environmental quality from 1996-1998 were “worse”, the quality in 1999 and 2000 were “qualified”, the quality were “better” from 2001-2006 and were “good” in 2008 and 2009. And then, the paper unified the correlation of each level into a coordinate system in order to quantitative value of environmental quality. Through the analysis of relationship between investment in environmental protection and environmental quality, it was found that 1% changing of environmental protection investment could cause 9% changing of environmental quality. In addition, changing rate of environmental quality has lagged 1 year compared with changing rate of environmental protection investment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chongqing is the largest central-government-controlled municipality in China, which is now undergoing a rapid urbanization. The question remains open: What are the consequences of such rapid urbanization in Chongqing in terms of urban microclimates? An integrated study comprising three different research approaches is adopted in the present paper. By analyzing the observed annual climate data, an average rising trend of 0.10 °C/decade was found for the annual mean temperature from 1951 to 2010 in Chongqing, indicating a higher degree of urban warming in Chongqing. In addition, two complementary types of field measurements were conducted: fixed weather stations and mobile transverse measurement. Numerical simulations using a house-developed program are able to predict the urban air temperature in Chongqing. The urban heat island intensity in Chongqing is stronger in summer compared to autumn and winter. The maximum urban heat island intensity occurs at around midnight, and can be as high as 2.5 °C. In the daytime, an urban cool island exists. Local greenery has a great impact on the local thermal environment. Urban green spaces can reduce urban air temperature and therefore mitigate the urban heat island. The cooling effect of an urban river is limited in Chongqing, as both sides of the river are the most developed areas, but the relative humidity is much higher near the river compared with the places far from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a dynamic low-carbon model was developed to show a quantitative and consistent future snapshot. This study presents three scenarios for Chongqing''s energy consumption and related CO2 emissions up to 2020, which includes basic development scenario, macro-policy control development scenario and low carbon development scenario. It explains the crucial technologies for Chongqing city as it leaves a business-as-usual trajectory and embarks on a low carbon pathway. A major finding from the scenario analysis is that low carbon and energy-saving policies can dramatically improve Chongqing''s position. Under the low carbon scenario, several suggestions for policy making are proposed. This dynamic low-carbon model would benefit from the allocation of decision-making powers in the areas of regulation, policy-making and planning for low carbon development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a preliminary assessment of the potential for CO2 geological storage in Chongqing, China. Currently, there are about 116 large stationary CO2 point emission sources which emit 85.57 MtCO2/yr totally. These stationary sources are mainly belonged to four industries: cement, power plant, iron & steel and synthetic ammonia industries. In the three kinds of geological storage formations, namely, deep saline formations (DSFs), unmineable coalbeds and depleted gas fields, the total basin-scale theoretical storage capacities of CO2 reach 24.36 Gt, equivalent to about 285 times of the annual total CO2 emissions in Chongqing. The DSFs have the largest potential storage capacity accounting for 98% of the total storage capacities. The matching results between CO2 point emission sources and candidate geological storage formations show that 94.8% of the point emission sources (accounting for 97.1% of annual total emissions) can find at least one candidate geological storage formation in its adjacent areas. This means that, for Chongqing, the CO2 transport cost is likely very low. The research findings indicate that there is great potential for CO2 geological storage technology to deploy in Chongqing and for this technology to deliver profound and sustaining impacts on reducing CO2 emissions and developing low-carbon economy in Chongqing. This preliminary study is expected to stimulate more researches, critical thinking and policy actions to promote positive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so as to mitigate the impact of global climate change, as well as to set a good example for other regions in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]