Convergence Of Economic Growth Of The Yangtze River Delta Cities

Since the reform-open policy was implemented in 1978, The region of Yangtze River Delta-including Shanghai,8 cities of Jiangsu province and 7 cities of Zhejiang province-has become one of the most energetic and rich region on economic growth in China,and is leading the whole economic development of China. But with the huge achievement on whole economy,the economic growth-no matter what per capital GDP(PGDP),per capital net income of rural households(PCNIRH) or per capital disposable of urban households(PCDIUH)-among the 16 cities innards exists the huge disparity. So it is necessary to enforce the study of urban economic growth disparity in the Yangtze River Delta since 1978.There were many study on urban economic growth of Yangtze River Delta,but it was almost blank that studied from the view of convergence. Basing on the condition of study,this dissertation studied from the structure of New-classical Economic Growth theory and New Growth theory,strived to investigate the convergence of urban economic growth in Yangtze River Delta comprehensivly from PGDP,PCNICH and PCDIUH,and explored the cause of disparity.Firstly,this dissertation analyzed the theoretical base of economic growth convergence from the view of New-classic Economic Growth theory and New Growth theory,reviewed the fundamental concept of convergence,and brought forward the frame of total dissertation.Secondly,dissertation analyzed the tendency of urban economic growth in Yangtze River Delta from the view of PGDP,PCNICH and PCDIUH during the period from 1978 to 2004. And dissertation discovered that the standard error was becoming wider and wider,but Variance Coefficient and GINI index were smaller and smaller yearly in general.Thirdly,by investigating the index of PGDP, PCNICH and PCDIUH,this dissertation discovered that the index between PGDP and per income were consistentin majority years from 1978 to 2004,and the paradox of regional discrepancy fluctuation did not exist in Yangtze River Delta.Simultaneously,the hypotheses of inverted U-shaped did not pass the probation in the 16 cities.Fourthly,by adopting the Variance Coefficient,though the index of Variance Coefficient behaving fluctuation, this dissertation draw a conclusion that the 16 cities in Yangtze River Delta existed the 8 -convergence from 1978 to 2004,no matter investigating the index PGDP, PCNICH or PCDIUH.Fifthly,in view of MRW rudimentary structure,conjoining the practical condition of urban economic growth in Yangtze River Delta,this dissertation built a new model which analyzed urban economic growth β -convergence. The model enunciated that the urban economic growth in Yangtze River Delta existed absolute β-convergence and conditional β -convergence. From the view of PGDP index,8 cities of Jiangsu province and 7 cities of Zhejiang province did not existed the club-convergence,but investigating with PCNICH and PCDIUH index,there were club-convergence in both regional cities.Finally,based on the urban economic growth convergence study of Yangtze River Delta,dissertation explored the factors which affected the convergence. In the five factors which affected the convergence,fixed capital investment,industrialization, the level of market and agglomeration economy effect caused the convergence,but the influence of FDI and human being investment which caused the economic growth convergence or divergence was not apparent.