『Abstract
Chinese regional disparities are readily apparent, with well-being
seen the highest at the coast and declining steadily inland. Their
mitigation will clearly be hostage to improvement in economic
development, since the unevenness of that development created
them in the first place. Integral to development is structural
change, and the key to effecting that change is improved energy
efficiency. Indeed, this paper explores energy usage and regional
development from 1952 to the present, establishing that they both
conform to an inverted-U pattern. Eastern China, the leader in
industrialization, has moved beyond the apogee of the curve, but
Central and Western China have failed to follow suit, being held
back by poor industrial structures and adverse patterns of energy
consumption. Remedying this laggardly performance preoccupies
China's Government, for rendering the country energy-efficient
and containing regional disparities, both rest on pushing the
Central and Western regions down the curve in the wake of the
prosperous coast.
Keywords: China; Energy usage; Regional disparities』
1. Introduction
2. Taking the measure of regional disparities
2.1. Economic disparities
2.2. Regional dimensions to Chinese energy consumption
3. Government policy response
4. Interactive relationships
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References