中国农村公路与地方经济发展

11212 Rural Roads and Local EconomicDevelopment in China Yajie HanNino PkhikidzeYu Qin Policy Research Working Paper11212 Abstract Rural roads, serving as vital links between remote areas andeconomic centers, play an indispensable role in rural devel-opment. This paper investigates the relationship betweenrural road development and various economic outcomes inChina from 2008 to 2021. Based on comprehensive novelroad network data, satellite nighttime light images, coun-ty-level statistics, and household-level survey data, analyses road development fosters the growth of economic activ-ity. The correlation is more pronounced in plains thanin mountainous areas and is stronger for roads of higherquality. Economic prosperity and population size furtherenhance the economic benefits of rural roads. Addition- The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about developmentissues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry thenames of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those Rural Roads and Local Economic Development in China* Yajie Hana, Nino Pkhikidzeb, Yu Qinc, and Yi Yangd Keywords:rural roads, local economic development, China, nighttime lights.JEL Classification: O18, R42, Q12, J43 1.Introduction Improved transportation infrastructure has been documented to contribute positively to variousoutcomes for households, firms, and the economy as a whole. These benefits include reductionsin trade costs and facilitation of resource reallocation between the agriculture and non-agriculture sectors, which in turn lead to increased employment and interregional trade andinvestment, as well as stimulation of local economies (Donaldson 2018; Lin et al. 2022; Faber2014; Lin 2017; Adamopoulos 2011; Qin 2016; Gao et al. 2020; Banerjee, Duflo, and Qian2020). Additionally, these improvements in infrastructure have been shown to raise income Although there is a substantial body of empirical research on the economic effects of generaltransportation infrastructure, such as highways, railways, and high-speed railways, the specificimpacts of rural roads have been less thoroughly examined. Rural roads are critical in boostingagricultural production, spurring economic growth, and improving livelihoods, especially indeveloping countries. The existing literature has largely focused on the impacts of rural roadson factors including market accessibility, agricultural productivity, employment, income, However, research on rural roads within the Chinese context is notably lacking, despitesubstantial investments in this area as part of broader rural development strategies. Over thepast two decades, China has been improving ‘last mile’ connectivity to integrate rural areaswith urban centers and essential services. The unique economic and policy environment ofChina—characterized by rapid economic growth, a vast population, significant povertyreduction efforts, and regional development disparities—significantly influences the outcomes Combining detailed and high-resolution rural road network data from 2008 to 2021 withsatellite nighttime light data, county statistics, and household survey data, we examine therelationship between rural roads and economic activities in China. Specifically, we investigatethis relationship through various indicators such as nighttime light intensity, population growth,agricultural production, and household income and consumption. We further investigate the Our analyses present several main findings. At the grid level, our analysis reveals a consistentpositive correlation between rural road mileage and nighttime light intensity, which serves asa proxy for economic activities. Notably, rural roads of better road quality—characterized byhigher technical classifications and concrete pavement—show a stronger correlation with size amplify the benefits of rural roads on economic activity. Additionally, we observeheterogeneous effects of rural roads across terrains, with plains showing stronger economic At the county level, our analysis indicates an inverse relationship between rural roaddevelopment and population growth, likely driven by urban migration facilitated by improvedconnectivity. Conversely, an increase in rural road mileage is positively correlated withagricultural production and economic outputs, suggesting enhanced market accessibility andtransportation efficiency. Furthermore, our household-level analysis shows a significant The structure of this paper is as follows. Section 2 reviews the literature on the impacts of ruralroads. Section 3 describes the data used and Section 4 outlines the identification strategy 2.Literature review Improvements to rural road infrastructure can significantly enhance market accessibility.Enhanced road c