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Port integration in China: Temporal pathways, spatial patterns and dynamics

Chinese Geographical Science volume 25, pages 612–628 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Over the past two decades, numerous ports located in China have participated in port integration strategies, thus influencing the entire port system. The current research is initiated in order to examine the nature of port integration in China, including associated temporal pathways, spatial patterns and dynamics. Results indicate that port integration in China has been characterized by a significant increase at the turn of the 21st century, comprising thirteen distinguishable pathways typified by differing dynamics, particularly between the northern and southern ports. Pathways were found to include 44 seaports and river ports, chiefly concentrated in the Bohai Rim, Yangtze (Changjiang) River Delta, Beibu Gulf and the southeastern Fujian, thus representing significant spatial regions. Categorically larger seaports have become the primary beneficiaries of port integration. Integration cases were divided into four categories based upon quantified dynamic magnitude including the government-driven mode, market-driven mode, government/market-driven mode and strategic alliance, and into five further categories based upon spatial extent including port internal integration, jurisdictional port integration, port integration across neighbor region, regional port integration and hub-feeder port integration. Results suggest that several factors have effectively driven port integration in China, including legislative tools and spatial planning, optimization of shoreline resources and port functionality, and port competition with the same hinterland.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Chengjin Wang & Wei Wang

  2. French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), UMR 8504 Géographie-cités, Paris, F-75006, France

    César Ducruet

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Wei Wang

Authors
  1. Chengjin Wang
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  2. César Ducruet
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  3. Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Chengjin Wang.

Additional information

Foundation item: Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41171108), Key Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZZD-EW-06-02), Exploratory Forefront Project for the Strategic Science Plan in IGSNRR, CAS (No. 2012QY004)

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Wang, C., Ducruet, C. & Wang, W. Port integration in China: Temporal pathways, spatial patterns and dynamics. Chin. Geogr. Sci. 25, 612–628 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-015-0752-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-015-0752-3

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