Spatial Spillover Effects of Ports on Economic Growth of Hinterland Cities

This paper extends the research perspective of port-city relationship to the spatial dimensions. Using the 2003 to 2016 coastal ports and cities data in China and spatial panel model, this study empirically investigates the effects of ports on hinterland cities' economic growth. The results indicate that ports not only create intra-regional spillovers, but inter-regional spillovers. The existence of port not only promotes the economic growth of the city where it locates, but also has a significant impact on the economic growth of hinterland cities. The spatial spillover impacts of port have increased significantly after the 2008 global financial crisis. The results of subregional test shows that the port around the Bohai Sea plays a significant role on promoting the economic growth of the city, but the spatial spillover effects of the port on hinterland cities are limited in the subregional test. Copyright © 2020 by Science Press.