Gong, C.; Yang, X.; Liu, Y., and Xiong, H., 2020. China's Port-Hinterland Coordinated Economic Development under ‘Maritime Silk Road’ Initiative. In: Li, L. and Huang, X. (eds.), Sustainable Development in Coastal Regions: A Perspective of Environment, Economy, and Technology. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 112, pp. 465-471. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

China's ‘Maritime Silk Road’ initiative is getting increasing attention worldwide and this study examines how well China coordinates its ports and hinterlands to boost its economic growth under the initiative. Our empirical analysis reveals that: i) China's all five major ports demonstrate some port-hinterland economic synergy, though with varying structures and levels. Specifically, Fuzhou Port's development is mainly driven by the hinterland economy while Haikou Port's development by the port economy, and the economic coordination is much more balanced as Beihai Port, Quanzhou Port, and Guangzhou Port are concerned. ii) Measures like optimizing industrial structures, increasing value added for products and services, and perfecting infrastructure can facilitate port-hinterland coordinated development greatly.