Impact of accessibility of land transportation networks on regional economic resilience: an empirical study of China

Regional economic resilience (RER) represents an important topic in regional science. So far, rare studies have incorporated accessibility of transportation networks in examining RER. This study analysed RER and transportation accessibility from a spatial perspective. Based on an empirical study of China's RER, this study shows that while the land transportation has strong positive direct spatial effects on RER, the potential competition among neighbouring prefectures has resulted in varying indirect effects, leading to mixed total effects. Comparing with road transportation, rail transportation is found to have similar direct effects but more significant indirect effects, contributing significantly to medium and long-distance economic activities. The comparison among three geographical regions suggests that RER is also associated with natural conditions and historical development. Policy implications on regional development planning are also discussed.