Spatio-temporal coupling coordination between digital rural development and rural residents’ affluence

This study analyzes the spatio-temporal characteristics of digital rural development and rural residents' affluence in 28 provinces of China from 2018 to 2020. Initially, a systematic assessment of China's digital rural development status at the provincial level is conducted using data from the county-level digital rural index. Then, by combining pertinent data from the China Statistical Yearbook, China Rural Statistical Yearbook, province statistical yearbooks, and government activity reports, an assessment system for the affluence of rural dwellers is built. There are three core indicators and eleven supplementary indicators in this system. Based on this framework, a quantitative assessment of rural residents' affluence in China is conducted. Finally, a thorough investigation of the spatial distribution characteristics and linkage between digital rural development and the rural residents' affluence is conducted by the use of Moran's I index and the coupling coordination model. According to the research findings, although there are notable spatial differences, China's overall digital rural development is on a steady rising trend. The rural residents' affluence falls within the medium range, and a development model featuring multi-point breakthroughs and coordinated progress is gradually emerging. Furthermore, there is a medium level of overall coordination between digital rural development and rural residents' affluence. From the standpoint of spatial auto-correlation, the coordination between the two still exhibits substantial spatial dependency, and the spatial agglomeration impact is increasing, despite a minor reduction in the coupling coordination degree between 2018 and 2020. According to the local spatial auto-correlation study, there is a clear "high-high" agglomeration pattern in the southeast of China, but there is a "low-low" agglomeration tendency in the northwest.