Search

The unprecedented expansion and development of high-speed rail (HSR) in China provides a unique opportunity and a new way of thinking for addressing the problem of urban-rural wealth disparities. In this paper, I examine the impact of the introduction of HSRs on the income disparity between urban and rural residents in China. Using panel data from 285 prefecture-level cities from 2004 to 2018, in this paper I employ the double-difference method to assess the impact of HSR on the income gap between urban and rural populations and the mechanism of its action; furthermore, I explore the influence of HSR on urban residents' per capita disposable income and rural residents' per capita net income, as well as the impact of HSR on the flow of elements such as labor and capital. My research findings reveal that the introduction of HSR has greatly widened the income gap between urban and rural residents; however, there is heterogeneity between different East, Central, and West regions, as well as between different levels of cities. A further mechanism study finds that HSR lowers farmers' per capita net income, raises urban residents' per capita disposable income, and widens the urban/rural income gap via mechanisms such as facilitating the interregional mobility of labor and capital factors. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively assess the economic effects brought about by HSR, strengthen the construction of urban-rural transport networks, and improve support for rural areas, so as to promote the coordinated development of inter-regional and urban-rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological studies found that exposure to air pollution increases cardiovascular hospitalizations. However, studies on rural-urban differences in associations between hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases and air pollution are limited. The generalized linear model (GLM) was applied to investigate the associations between cardiovascular hospitalizations and air pollution (SO2, NO2, PM2.5, PM10, CO, and O3) in Guangxi, southwest China, in 2015 (January 1–December 31). The relative risk of pollutants (SO2, NO2) on cardiovascular hospital admissions was significantly different between urban and rural areas. The effect of SO2 on cardiovascular hospitalizations was higher in urban areas than in rural areas at lag0 to lag3 and cumulative lag01 to lag03. In urban areas, there were positive associations between NO2 and cardiovascular hospitalizations at lag0, lag1 and cumulative lag01, lag02. In contrast, the effect of NO2 on cardiovascular hospitalizations was not significant in rural areas. Urban residents were more sensitive than rural residents to SO2 and NO2. Subgroup analyses showed statistically significant differences between rural and urban areas in the association between SO2 and NO2 and cardiovascular hospitalizations for males. For age groups, people aged ≥ 65 years appeared to be more vulnerable to SO2 and NO2 in urban areas. The effects of PM2.5 PM10, CO, and O3 on cardiovascular hospitalizations were consistently negative for all groups. Our findings indicated that there were rural-urban differences in associations between cardiovascular hospitalizations and air pollutants. In rural areas, the risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations was mainly influenced by SO2. Therefore, we expect to pay attention to protecting people from air pollution, particularly for those aged ≥ 65 years in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]