Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap
In advancing China’s high‑quality development, the National Innovative City Pilot Policy has exerted a profound influence on the urban–rural income gap. Based on panel data from 280 prefecture‑level and above cities in China for 2006–2018, this study employs a multi‑period difference‑in‑differences...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Political Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1608214/full |
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| author | Jiaqing Zhang Xindong Zhao Dejin Zhao |
| author_facet | Jiaqing Zhang Xindong Zhao Dejin Zhao |
| author_sort | Jiaqing Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In advancing China’s high‑quality development, the National Innovative City Pilot Policy has exerted a profound influence on the urban–rural income gap. Based on panel data from 280 prefecture‑level and above cities in China for 2006–2018, this study employs a multi‑period difference‑in‑differences (DID) framework to assess the policy’s impact on urban–rural income gap and its heterogeneous effects, and further investigates the underlying mechanisms through industrial‑structure optimization. The findings indicate that (1) the Pilot Policy significantly widens the urban–rural income gap at the prefecture level and above; (2) It intensifies this disparity via two channels—facilitating industrial upgrading while impeding structural rationalization—with partial mediation contributions of 31.71% and 35.13% of the total effect, respectively. This study concludes with policy recommendations for designing a scientifically grounded innovation system, narrowing income gap, and promoting coordinated urban–rural development. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ecf982cb1b0a42d68cb030d633311802 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-3145 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Political Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-ecf982cb1b0a42d68cb030d6333118022025-08-20T03:27:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Political Science2673-31452025-07-01710.3389/fpos.2025.16082141608214Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gapJiaqing ZhangXindong ZhaoDejin ZhaoIn advancing China’s high‑quality development, the National Innovative City Pilot Policy has exerted a profound influence on the urban–rural income gap. Based on panel data from 280 prefecture‑level and above cities in China for 2006–2018, this study employs a multi‑period difference‑in‑differences (DID) framework to assess the policy’s impact on urban–rural income gap and its heterogeneous effects, and further investigates the underlying mechanisms through industrial‑structure optimization. The findings indicate that (1) the Pilot Policy significantly widens the urban–rural income gap at the prefecture level and above; (2) It intensifies this disparity via two channels—facilitating industrial upgrading while impeding structural rationalization—with partial mediation contributions of 31.71% and 35.13% of the total effect, respectively. This study concludes with policy recommendations for designing a scientifically grounded innovation system, narrowing income gap, and promoting coordinated urban–rural development.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1608214/fullthe national innovative city pilot policythe urban–rural income gapindustrial structure advancementindustrial structure rationalizationmulti-period difference-in-differences |
| spellingShingle | Jiaqing Zhang Xindong Zhao Dejin Zhao Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap Frontiers in Political Science the national innovative city pilot policy the urban–rural income gap industrial structure advancement industrial structure rationalization multi-period difference-in-differences |
| title | Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap |
| title_full | Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap |
| title_fullStr | Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap |
| title_short | Can you have both fish and bear’s paw? The impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban–rural income gap |
| title_sort | can you have both fish and bear s paw the impact of national innovative city pilot policy on the urban rural income gap |
| topic | the national innovative city pilot policy the urban–rural income gap industrial structure advancement industrial structure rationalization multi-period difference-in-differences |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2025.1608214/full |
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