Rural Industrial Integration and New Urbanization in China: Coupling Coordination, Spatial-Temporal Differentiation, and Driving Factors

Understanding the coupling coordination status between rural industrial integration (RII) and new urbanization (NU) is critical for the Chinese government to optimize policies that promote the synergetic and sustainable development of RII and NU. Based on constructing evaluation index systems, this paper uses the entropy value method, coupling coordination degree model, exploratory spatial analysis method, gravity center model, and geographical detector model to reveal the characteristics of the spatial-temporal differentiation of the coupling coordination and its driving factors in China. The results show that: (1) The regional differences in the coupling coordination degree between RII and NU are obvious, and the coupling coordination degree of China's three economic regions are all in an increasing trend, but the mean values in the central and western regions are always below the national average. (2) The coupling coordination degree has significant spatial agglomeration characteristics, but the regional differences are gradually decreasing. The whole country is still dominated by the low-low agglomeration, and the provinces with the high-high agglomeration are mainly located in the eastern region. (3) The gravity center of the coupling coordination degree has moved in both the east-west and north-south directions from 2011 to 2021, but the movement trend in the north-south direction is more obvious. (4) The economic development level, industrial structure, transportation conditions, government support capacity, financial support level, and agricultural mechanization level are important factors driving the spatial-temporal variation, and their interactions will enhance the differentiation. The results can provide a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for relevant government departments in China to promote the sustainable development of RII and NU.