Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation

In the process of Chinese-style modernisation, the socially and culturally coordinated development of cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is important for promoting regional coordinated development, enhancing the balance of public services, and strengthening cultural soft power. This study use...

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Main Authors: Zhenzhen Yi, Xianzhong Cao, Liuting Qin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1226
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author Zhenzhen Yi
Xianzhong Cao
Liuting Qin
author_facet Zhenzhen Yi
Xianzhong Cao
Liuting Qin
author_sort Zhenzhen Yi
collection DOAJ
description In the process of Chinese-style modernisation, the socially and culturally coordinated development of cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is important for promoting regional coordinated development, enhancing the balance of public services, and strengthening cultural soft power. This study used quantitative methods, including the construction of an indicator system, spatial correlation analysis, and Zipf’s rank-size rule, on data from 2011 to 2021 to analyse the capacity for coordinated social and cultural development and assessed the spatial distribution characteristics of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The study found that the overall level of social and cultural coordination among the cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt steadily improved; however, significant regional disparities still exist, particularly in areas such as social security and cultural integration. Spatially, a “high in the east, low in the west” pattern is observed, with the Yangtze River Delta city cluster leading development, the midstream cluster playing a supportive role, and the Chengdu–Chongqing city cluster showing significant internal disparities. Core cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu demonstrated driving effects in areas such as culture, education, and healthcare; however, some peripheral cities remain underdeveloped. This study suggests the need to enhance the development of the Yangtze River’s culture, promote the development of cultural industry clusters, foster the integration of various business models, leverage scientific and educational resources, optimise the cultural consumption market, and achieve the coordinated development of the social and cultural sectors, thereby enabling the Yangtze River Economic Belt to play a greater role in Chinese-style modernisation.
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spelling doaj-art-b5c3f4af7c794deabb66ec229285a51a2025-08-20T03:27:23ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-06-01146122610.3390/land14061226Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial CorrelationZhenzhen Yi0Xianzhong Cao1Liuting Qin2Center for Modern Chinses City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaCenter for Modern Chinses City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaCenter for Modern Chinses City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaIn the process of Chinese-style modernisation, the socially and culturally coordinated development of cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is important for promoting regional coordinated development, enhancing the balance of public services, and strengthening cultural soft power. This study used quantitative methods, including the construction of an indicator system, spatial correlation analysis, and Zipf’s rank-size rule, on data from 2011 to 2021 to analyse the capacity for coordinated social and cultural development and assessed the spatial distribution characteristics of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The study found that the overall level of social and cultural coordination among the cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt steadily improved; however, significant regional disparities still exist, particularly in areas such as social security and cultural integration. Spatially, a “high in the east, low in the west” pattern is observed, with the Yangtze River Delta city cluster leading development, the midstream cluster playing a supportive role, and the Chengdu–Chongqing city cluster showing significant internal disparities. Core cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Chengdu demonstrated driving effects in areas such as culture, education, and healthcare; however, some peripheral cities remain underdeveloped. This study suggests the need to enhance the development of the Yangtze River’s culture, promote the development of cultural industry clusters, foster the integration of various business models, leverage scientific and educational resources, optimise the cultural consumption market, and achieve the coordinated development of the social and cultural sectors, thereby enabling the Yangtze River Economic Belt to play a greater role in Chinese-style modernisation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1226sociocultural coordinationYangtze River Economic Beltspatial correlationChinese-style modernization
spellingShingle Zhenzhen Yi
Xianzhong Cao
Liuting Qin
Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
Land
sociocultural coordination
Yangtze River Economic Belt
spatial correlation
Chinese-style modernization
title Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
title_full Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
title_fullStr Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
title_short Evaluation of Socially and Culturally Coordinated Development in Cities of Yangtze River Economic Belt and Its Spatial Correlation
title_sort evaluation of socially and culturally coordinated development in cities of yangtze river economic belt and its spatial correlation
topic sociocultural coordination
Yangtze River Economic Belt
spatial correlation
Chinese-style modernization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1226
work_keys_str_mv AT zhenzhenyi evaluationofsociallyandculturallycoordinateddevelopmentincitiesofyangtzerivereconomicbeltanditsspatialcorrelation
AT xianzhongcao evaluationofsociallyandculturallycoordinateddevelopmentincitiesofyangtzerivereconomicbeltanditsspatialcorrelation
AT liutingqin evaluationofsociallyandculturallycoordinateddevelopmentincitiesofyangtzerivereconomicbeltanditsspatialcorrelation