Analysis of Population Mobility Characteristics and Economic Factors

Regional population mobility exhibits dynamic adjustments in response to external environmental shifts. This dynamic process reflects the interaction of demographic flows with economic resilience. By using Baidu Migration data and statistical yearbook records, this study investigates the spatiotemporal patterns during China's Spring Festival population movement before and after the COVID-19 outbreak (2019-2020) through spatial autocorrelation analysis and geographical detector methods. The results show three key findings. (1) The scale of population movement fluctuates significantly around the Spring Festival period, with migration volumes gradually recovering and stabilizing during the post-outbreak phase, highlighting mobility's resilience to shocks. (2) Distinct regional patterns emerge in population movement. Intra-provincial and inter-provincial migration exhibits clear east-west and north-south divergences across prefecture-level cities. Four major urban agglomerations serve as primary population concentration centers. These patterns illustrate the dynamic interplay between population distribution and economic development, as well as their resilience to external changes. (3) Economic factors significantly influence migration forms and regional disparities. Social consumption is the key driver of differences in intra-provincial, inter-provincial, and regional (east-central-west) migration. The interaction among factors mainly shows a two-factor enhancement effect. These findings reveal the economic system's underlying resilience mechanisms in supporting mobility changes.