Abstract:

Narrowing the urban-rural income gap is crucial for achieving the goal of common prosperity. Zhejiang Province, as a national pilot zone for common prosperity, is one of the regions with the smallest urban-rural income gap in China. Analyzing the characteristics and existing issues of the urban-rural income gap in Zhejiang Province provides valuable policy and practical insights for promoting coordinated urban-rural development and realizing common prosperity for all people in both Zhejiang Province and the entire country. The study found that the urban-rural income gap in Zhejiang Province was positively correlated with regional economic development levels, showing a spatial trend of decreasing from southwestern to northeastern Zhejiang. The problems need to be further addressed include the growing absolute income gap between urban and rural residents, falling into a “weak city, weak countryside” low equilibrium in some low disparity areas, and facing entrenched positions hindering leapfrog reduction in some high disparity areas. In the future, tailored policies should be implemented to address county-specific conditions to narrow the urban-rural income gap; reform urban-rural systems and mechanisms to foster new drivers of rural development; and accelerate industrial upgrading to enhance rural residents' business incomes.

Key words: Zhejiang, common prosperity, urban-rural income gap, coordinated urban-rural development