Understanding Public Attention towards the Beautiful Village Initiative in China and Exploring the Influencing Factors: An Empirical Analysis Based on the Baidu Index

Qin Ji, Jianping Yang, Qingshan He, Hongju Chen, Xiran Wang, Fan Tang, Qiuling Ge, Yanxia Wang and Feng Ding
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Qin Ji: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Jianping Yang: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Qingshan He: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Hongju Chen: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Xiran Wang: The School of Journalism and Communication, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Fan Tang: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Qiuling Ge: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yanxia Wang: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Feng Ding: State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: The implementation of China’s Beautiful Village Initiative was an extraordinary achievement and aroused extensive public attention. However, existing research mostly focuses on the construction and seldom on public attention towards the Beautiful Village Initiative. For this reason, this paper investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of public attention based on the Baidu index using time-constrained clustering and the spatial autocorrelation test. Our results showed that the evolutionary process can be divided into three stages: very little national attention (2011–2012), injection of a strong impetus (2013–2015), and rooted in the people’s minds (2016–2020). Spatially, provincial public attention demonstrated obvious spatial differentiation and stable spatial autocorrelation, with Low–Low clusters in Northwest China and High–High Clusters in East, Central, and North China. Spatial econometric models were further utilized to quantify the effects of socioeconomic factors on public attention. The results of the SEM model proved the existence of spatial spillover effects and indicated that the urbanization rate, population density, education level, and network popularity rate all positively affected public attention. The relationship between Beautiful Village construction and public attention was uncoordinated and, in most provinces, advances in public attention were ahead of the construction level. Our findings contribute to the understanding of public attention towards the Beautiful Village Initiative, and policy suggestions we proposed would be applied to increasing public awareness and participation.

Keywords: Beautiful Village Initiative; public attention; spatiotemporal evolution; influencing factors; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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