This study analyzes the development of the discipline of human geography in China over the past 40 years, based on projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from 1986 to 2023. The analysis focuses on research directions and themes, the hosting institutions and their spatial distribution, as well as the structure of high-level talents. This paper primarily employs methods such as keyword cloud analysis, probability density distribution analysis, and spatial analysis. The findings are as follows: (1) Although the number and financial volume of funded projects have grown rapidly, human geography remains at a disadvantage in terms of scholarly influence and the magnitude of funding support. (2) The majority of approved projects and funds are concentrated under the application codes for Urban and Rural Geography (D0109) and Economic Geography (D0108), though growth in these areas has been limited in recent years. Promising areas of focus include cultural geography, political geography, and behavioral geography. (3) New research topics have emerged, such as spatiotemporal behavior and quality of life, social space and mobility, innovation networks, city networks, rural revitalization, geopolitics, and carbon reduction. (4) The distribution of approved NSFC projects in human geography generally follows a Pareto distribution and is predominantly located east of the Hu Line. (5) There are relatively few high-level talents in human geography in China, with an unbalanced gender ratio. To advance the field, we propose to raise human geography's profile in interdisciplinary dialogue, to consolidate disciplinary consensus, to articulate key research priorities and assessment frameworks, address developmental disparities among subfields, and prioritize groundbreaking research agendas. The study underscores key unresolved issues in the discipline's governance and financing, including the generality-specificity spectrum in knowledge generation, and reconciling inter-direction competition with distributive justice in resource allocation. The research advances scholarly understanding by documenting funding-driven development patterns in Chinese human geography while addressing dual challenges of international disciplinary recognition and domestic academic consensus-building.

Rural modernization is an essential component of the global modernization landscape shaped by human society. It represents a transformative process in which the human-land relationship, spatial structure, and functional property within rural regional systems evolve toward modernity. This process is characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity, scale correlation, system comprehensiveness, functional modernity, and evolutionary staging. Geography, with its inherent traits of comprehensiveness, complexity, and regionality, provides robust scientific theoretical support for rural modernization research and leverages its disciplinary strengths to construct the discourse system of rural modernization research. From a geographical perspective, rural modernization research can utilize a three-dimensional framework of "level of modernization - civilizational progression - spatial configuration" as a benchmark, with "element coupling - temporal evolution - spatial cascade - systemic regulation" serving as its organizing principles. This approach enables comprehensive studies that encompass the conceptual connotations, spatial patterns, evolutionary processes, regional models, formation mechanisms, scenario simulations, monitoring and early warning systems, and governance and regulatory frameworks of rural modernization. Future research should focus on key issues such as theoretical innovation in rural modernization based on spatiotemporal boundary expansion and multiple paradigms; methodological and data-driven innovations in rural modernization using geographical technologies and big data science; investigations into the evolutionary processes and driving mechanisms of rural modernization grounded in the theory of human-land relationship regional systems and near-, medium-, and long-range coupling; analyses of regional types and formation mechanisms of rural modernization based on functional coordination and scale transformation; explorations of regional models and regulatory policies for rural modernization driven by element flow and spatial governance needs; and institutional innovation and engineering system layouts for rural modernization underpinned by urban-rural coordinated development. The advancement of comprehensive geographical research on rural modernization offers valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for the holistic promotion of rural revitalization strategy and the construction of a beautiful and harmonious countryside that is desirable to live and work in.

The total amount of infrastructure investment in China currently accounts for one-third of the global total, and its scale and speed of construction have reshaped the national spatial layout and traditional concepts of time and space, providing a key perspective for understanding the evolution of human-environment relationships in China. Compared to the rapid development of infrastructure, the systematic and localized progress of geography research on infrastructure in China has been relatively lagging. As an emerging branch of human geography, infrastructure geography provides a key perspective for analyzing the transformation of human-environment relationships. This paper compares domestic and international research and finds that, internationally, the shift toward a sociocultural approach has led to comprehensive studies on infrastructure across multiple elements, scales, and mechanisms. However, in China, the functionalist paradigm still dominates, and although there has been preliminary attention to sociocultural factors, the transformation of theoretical paradigms has not yet been completed. Based on the reality of China's massive-scale infrastructure and the characteristics of the socialist state system, this paper proposes three dimensions for localized research: diversity ("scale-category-context"), subjectivity ("state-society-people"), and centrality ("inclusion-fair-welfare"). Building on this, the paper emphasizes the necessity of exploring the sociocultural nature of infrastructure in the context of China's national conditions and the importance of promoting theoretical and practical innovation. The aim is to break through Western theoretical hegemony with local knowledge production, respond to the global trend in geography to "eastward-looking", and provide valuable exploratory suggestions for the localization of research on the sociocultural geography of infrastructure. Finally, this paper emphasizes that future innovations in the theory and practice of infrastructure geography should be promoted through collaborative research, contributing to deep dialogues between Chinese geography and the international academic community and showcasing the unique value of Chinese infrastructure and infrastructure research on the global stage.

The rank-size model of settlement size distribution is an important meta-model and meta-knowledge for understanding the evolution of urban-rural regional system. At present, the rank-size method has been widely used in the study of urban settlement system structure, but its application in rural geography is relatively lagging behind. Under the background of the cross-integration of urban and rural geography in the new era, it is an important theoretical innovation to explore the unified size distribution law of urban and rural regional system, and it is of great practical significance to build a new pattern of urban and rural integration. Based on previous research and mathematical abstraction, this paper carries out the expansion of the settlement size distribution meta-model-rank-cumulative size model hypothesis-deductive experiment and the empirical research in Northeast China, and makes a comparison between multiple models, multiple perspectives, and multiple time and space, in order to preliminarily summarize the general model of the size distribution of urban and rural settlement system. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Based on the idea of mathematical function, this paper infers the mathematical properties of the rank-cumulative size model, and sums up three potential models (linear model, power function type, logarithmic type) suitable for describing the size distribution of urban and rural settlements. Then, the hypothesis conditions are put forward and a variety of clustering types are constructed for parallel comparison experiments, which is different from the empirical paradigm, expands the scope of application of the model, and also introduces new settlement size distribution parameters. (2) In the multi-model comparison of hypothesis-deductive experiments, the rank-cumulative size model has prominent advantages over the 'Lotka-Zipf' model and the rural rank-size model, which are mainly manifested in high goodness of fit, wide application range and strong robustness. However, the most suitable rank-cumulative size model shows segmentation characteristics with the change of Zipf. (3) The results of empirical in Northeast China and hypothesis-deductive experiments are highly consistent. On the one hand, the rank-cumulative size model has a good effect on characterizing the size distribution of the settlement system in Northeast China, and is superior to the 'Lotka-Zipf' model and the rural rank-size model in terms of goodness of fit, range of application and robustness. On the other hand, the most suitable rank-cumulative size model is different due to different settlement types, which is essentially Zipf heterogeneity without significant time and regional heterogeneity. (4) On the basis of hypothesis deduction and regional demonstration, the rank-cumulative size model is suitable as a general model for the size distribution of urban-rural settlement system, which can be expressed as a piecewise function of power function and logarithmic function according to the change of Zipf. The geographical significance of the parameters of the model needs to be further explored, and the model also has great application potential for the optimization and reconstruction of the national urban and rural settlement system.

As Minsu (homestay inn) is the industrial grip for promoting rural revitalization and entrepreneurship is the key driver of economic growth, it is of great theoretical and practical importance to give attention to the synergistic evolution of Minsu entrepreneurship and rural areas. This article proposes a framework for analysing the process of the rural Minsu entrepreneurship ecosystem on the basis of the concept of a strict distinction between Minsu enterprises and Minsu entrepreneurship. It analyses the characteristics of the Minsu entrepreneurship ecosystem resource structure using Moganshan as an example, depicts the entrepreneurial resource flow and production process, and explicates the core mechanism of the synergistic evolution of the system and the region. This study revealed that (1) Minsu is an important practical method to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem through entrepreneurial resource flow to compensate for the shortcomings of the countryside. The rural lifestyle attracts Minsu start-ups, and the value of business opportunities triggers the inflow and creation of entrepreneurial resources to form the entrepreneurial ecosystem, which outputs three types of entrepreneurial activities, namely, business upgrading and iteration, entrepreneurial intermediary services, and brand alliance diffusion. (2) The rural environment promotes the innovation and growth of Minsu lifestyle entrepreneurship, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem process is driven by entrepreneurs' identification and creation of opportunity value in a dynamic context. (3) The entrepreneurial ecosystem process evolves synergistically with the rural areas, which successively generates rural tourism and vacation opportunities, Minsu entrepreneurship incubation and green innovation entrepreneurship. Intermediary services, government regulation, and the cogovernance of the regional public brand by multiple networks are the key reasons for synergistic evolution. This study offers valuable insights for advancing rural policy innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives to achieve high-quality rural development in practice. At the theoretical level, it establishes meaningful connections between evolutionary research in entrepreneurship geography and tourism geography, while proposing a novel analytical framework to examine how emerging tourism elements like Minsu contribute to rural revitalization through their developmental pathways and underlying mechanisms.

The spatial restructuring of large Chinese cities has exacerbated internal spatial differentiation and social segregation, resulting in disparities in the distribution of environmental risks across social groups and regions. This has negatively impacted the health and well-being of urban residents. This study analyzes the socio-spatial disparities in environmental risk distribution in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu using pollution discharge permit data and census data, with ArcGIS spatial analysis methods. Principal component analysis is then applied for dimensionality reduction to capture the characteristics of urban spatial restructuring. Interaction term models are applied to analyze the intrinsic connections between environmental inequality and the urban spatial restructuring process. The findings reveal that individuals with lower education levels and migrant populations are exposed to greater environmental risks, with environmental inequality increasing from the city center to the periphery. The spatial variations in environmental inequality across the three cities can be attributed to their respective urban spatial restructuring processes and development trajectories, resulting in three distinct patterns of environmental inequality: minimal impact, localized improvement, and environmental deprivation. The study draws on Spatial Production Theory and Rawls' Theory of Justice to elucidate the evolution of environmental inequality in spatial differentiation within the context of urban spatial restructuring, emphasizing the shift from capital-driven spatial production to government-led social justice practices. It is suggested that when formulating and implementing strategies to promote environmental justice and sustainable urban development, the global and dynamic nature of urban space development should be considered to ensure equitable sharing of environmental benefits across all regions and social groups.

The spatial expansion mode determines the urban construction, land development, and resource allocation patterns within a metropolitan area, and plays a pivotal role in the development of new quality productive forces. This study focuses on six major metropolitan areas in central China: Zhengzhou metropolitan area, Wuhan metropolitan area, Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan metropolitan area, Hefei metropolitan area, Nanchang metropolitan area, and Taiyuan metropolitan area. Using spatial dynamic simulation analysis method, we analyzed the spatial expansion models and their evolution of various metropolitan areas from 1990 to 2023, and conducted scenario simulations for the period from 2024 to 2035. The results show that: (1) The total development, increment, and density indicators of the six major metropolitan areas in central China have undergone drastic changes, with significant differences in their evolutionary processes: The Zhengzhou metropolitan area has evolved into "single core with multiple centers and clusters", the Wuhan metropolitan area maintains "single core+cluster", the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan metropolitan area has evolved into "single core agglomeration", the Hefei metropolitan area has evolved into "primary and secondary centers", the Nanchang metropolitan area maintains "dual centers", and the Taiyuan metropolitan area has evolved into "centers with corridors and clusters". In the future, these characteristics will continue to be maintained and strengthened. (2) The Zhengzhou metropolitan area, Wuhan metropolitan area, and Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan metropolitan area are "core-dominant" models that can accelerate the development of metropolitan areas and improve expansion efficiency in a short period of time. However, they are also prone to exacerbating regional disparities and causing the development of surrounding cities to lag behind. The Hefei metropolitan area, Nanchang metropolitan area, and Taiyuan metropolitan area follow a "hub and spoke" model, opting for a gradual and steady expansion approach. This approach facilitates the absorption of the radiation power from external economic entities. However, their development is relatively slow and the efficiency remains low. (3) Guided by the principles of "multi-level, multi-center, networked development, smart growth, and urban integration", measures such as implementing regional strategies, controlling expansion, adjusting zoning, and establishing a policy system should be taken to scientifically optimize the spatial expansion mode of urban agglomerations.

Transportation equity for mobility-vulnerable groups is an important issue of social equity. As the arterial system of cities, metro systems, due to their advantages of safety, reliability, punctuality, and efficiency, serve as a crucial guarantee for ensuring mobility equity for vulnerable groups, such as the seniors and underage students. The built environment surrounding metro stations, as an important component of urban transportation spaces, not only influences the metro travel behavior of these groups, but also reflects spatial justice through its equal accessibility. However, the mechanisms and pathways by which the built environment affects travel remain unclear. This study focuses on seniors and underage students in Kunming, selecting frequent travelers from both groups based on smart card data from the metro system. By integrating multi-source data, including land use, the study employs a Gradient Boosted Decision Tree (GBDT) model to reveal the complex mechanisms between the built environment around metro stations and the metro travel behavior of these two groups, comparing the differences in impact pathways between them. The results show that: (1) The relationship between the built environment and metro ridership of different groups exhibits four patterns: overall consistency, group diversity, senior group specificity, and student group specificity; (2) Variables such as land use mix, road network density, betweenness centrality, and proximity to intercity transport hubs have a relatively consistent effect on metro ridership across different groups, while the influence of other variables differs significantly; (3) The number of residential communities and land use mix have a consistent relationship with metro ridership across groups, showing a mainly positive nonlinear relationship and an inverted U-shaped relationship, respectively, while the relationships between other variables and metro ridership vary; (4) Compared to traditional linear models, the nonlinear model is more sensitive and can more accurately capture threshold effects. This study deepens the application of spatial justice theory in transportation geography and provides theoretical and empirical support for guiding travel for vulnerable groups and optimizing the built environment around metro stations.

Urban expansion, as a key driving force in the evolution of the Earth's surface human-environment system, profoundly influences land resource allocation and the stability of ecosystems. The horizontal expansion patterns and impacts of urban construction land are well-established at the global, national, and city scales. However, the expansion types, spatial characteristics, and driving mechanisms on the three-dimensional terrain gradient remain inadequately understood. Therefore, this study focuses on analyzing the slope variation characteristics and spatial interaction relationships of construction land, ecological land, and arable land in 2754 counties across China. By systematically categorizing gradient expansion types and employing a combination of random forest model and geodetector, this study delves into the driving factors of spatial differentiation of various expansion types. The results indicate that: (1) The rapid urbanization in China, with stringent arable land protection policies, has driven urban construction land to expand into areas with steeper slopes. In 78.18% of counties, the dominant gradient expansion type of construction land is characterized by an increase in slope. Meanwhile, the expansion type featuring increased slopes for arable land or ecological land is primarily concentrated in the northeast, northwest, and southwest regions. (2) The gradient expansion of construction land is closely linked to the gradient evolution of arable land, as the development of sloping arable land provides new space for urban construction land. In regions where the slope of arable land is notably steeper, the rate of expansion in construction land area is twice as high as that in areas where the slope is decreasing. Furthermore, the cultivation of sloping arable land serves as a major source for supplementing arable land resources. (3) The complexity of regional topography and the intensity of agricultural production are the main constraints and driving factors for the significant differences in the gradient expansion of China's urban areas. The interaction of topographical factors, including elevation, slope, and the proportion of flat land, accounts for 30% of the explanatory power in elucidating the spatial differentiation of slope changes in construction land. Quantitatively characterizing the spatial patterns, processes, and driving mechanisms of construction land expansion along gradients holds significant importance for mitigating construction land pressures in mountainous urban areas, protecting arable land, and promoting regional sustainable development.

Entering the new era, the close integration of return migration and county urbanization has become an important grasp on people-centered new-type urbanization in central and western China. However, existing studies predominately focus on the effect of return migration on the county-level economy, with less emphasis on the spatial perspective of county urbanization patterns. Taking Tianmen-Mianyang region of Hubei province as a case, this paper utilizes the field survey data from April 2018 to November 2022 to examine the impacts of apparel manufacturing migrants returned from cities (i.e. Guangzhou and Wuhan) to their home counties during the urbanization process. The results show that the entrepreneurship and employment of return migrants centered around the general manufacturing industry promote the transformation of exogenous county urbanization to endogenous county urbanization relying on local industrialization. Specifically, it forms three types of county urbanization: centralized county seat urbanization with economic development zones as the space carrier, centralized township urbanization with town-level industrial parks as the space carrier, and decentralized county seat urbanization with residential communities around schools as the space carrier. The governmental initiative of high-quality development leads to a decline of inclusiveness in county economy, which promotes the transformation of return entrepreneurship from formal and centralized to informal and decentralized. Meanwhile, the space carrier of return entrepreneurship shifts from the incremental expansion characterized by economic development zones and town-level industrial parks to the reuse of the existing stock exemplified by residential communities around schools. The future of return-migrant urbanization faces great challenges, and it is necessary to concern and to facilitate the recombination of returned capital and labor in home counties.

Accurately identifying the "production-living-ecological" spaces (PLES) is the premise of urban functional zone optimization, livable cities construction, and urban-rural development balancing. Existing research on identifying spatial distribution of PLES is insufficient in identifying and quantitatively characterizing integration space and interactive space. There is an urgent need to establish methods that consist of complete system and can accurately quantify spatial functions by integrating multi-source geographic data based on existing rural-urban regional systems. Thus, this present constructed three indices, including Spatial Function Strength index (SFS), Spatial Function Coverage index (SFC), and Spatial Function Interaction index (SFI). These indices were calculated using the Point of Interest (POI) data, land cover, and cell phone communication data using the road network community as the fundamental unit. The PLES in Haidian district, Beijing was identified by determining the priority of the three indices with the decision tree interpretation method. In addition, this study compared the spatial distribution and characteristics of functions at the global, class, and patch levels using landscape indices. The results include: (1) The functional zones at different regional systems were significantly different. Along the urban-rural gradient, the diversity spatial types and complexity of shapes, and the patch density increased, but the spatial aggregation in the same class decreased. (2) Individual ecological and living spaces showed concentrated distribution within the rural and urban regional systems, while the spatial characteristics of individual production space in different regional systems were quite different in terms of dominant industry type. Within the integrated spaces, the type and characteristics were different between rural and urban areas. For interactive spaces, they were mainly distributed in the transitioning spaces between rural and urban zones, characterized by "separation between living and working spaces". (3) At the patch level, landscape indices complemented and supported the spatial pattern for the system and classes of the PLES at a finer scale. In addition, landscape indices effectively identified special city functional regions with the largest spatial diversity and smallest spatial aggregation. The result of this study realized system interpretation and spatial identification of multi-functionality for PLES at the urban-rural regional systems based on innovated methods for integrating data in illustrating the advantages of multi-source geographic big data, which provided supports in terms of data and methods for territorial spatial planning and management.

The digital competence of residents is a crucial component of personal and social development and significantly influences regional development patterns through its geographic distribution and dynamic evolution. It has increasingly emerged as a critical driving force in advancing common prosperity. This study constructs a measurement system for assessing the digital competence of Chinese residents with respect to common prosperity. It develops a theoretical framework to explore the underlying mechanisms through which digital competence promotes common prosperity, aiming to offer robust theoretical support and empirical evidence for policy design. This study employs spatiotemporal analysis, spatial variogram, spatial autocorrelation, Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition, and fixed effects models to systematically examine the spatial and temporal characteristics of residents' digital competence across 25 provincial-level regions in China, along with its multifaceted influence on common prosperity. The study presents the following findings: (1) From 2016 to 2022, the overall level of digital competence showed a generally rising but fluctuating trend, although the national average remained relatively low. Specific dimensions demonstrated upward yet uneven trajectories, including data and information literacy, digital communication and collaboration, and digital problem-solving. In contrast, declines in digital content creation and digital security raise concern, especially in regions such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, where consistently low levels are observed. (2) National spatial disparities in digital competence have been narrowed over time, yet the east-west divide remains the most pronounced. Coastal provinces exhibit relatively balanced internal development, whereas the Gini coefficient of hypervariable density contributes most significantly to national disparity and shows an increasing trend. (3) At the village and community levels, improvements in digital competence notably promote common prosperity, with pronounced benefits for inland and rural regions. This positive effect operates through multiple forms of livelihood capital - human, material, financial, social, and psychological - and varies across regions. The study enhances the theoretical understanding of the dynamic evolution of regional digital development and the digital divide, offering practical implications for advancing balanced growth in Chinese residents' digital competence and achieving common prosperity.

In the context of the increasing importance of talent dividend in societal development, it is crucial to understand talent development in space, especially talent spatial flows, as the key element to support local high-quality growth. Drawing on the connotation of opportunities for talents, this paper investigates spatial and temporal changes of employment opportunities for university graduates. It proposes a conceptual framework and empirical research approach to quantify the employment opportunity space of university graduates, with a six dimensions of first employment after graduation, settlement, life comfortability, environmental amenity, social inclusion, and futural development. As a result, the employment opportunity map is firstly established at a city level, which helps to examine the evolution of the spatial distribution of opportunity space for the graduates. Between 2005 and 2021, the average employment opportunity index for cities in China increased by 73.4%. There is a general improvement, not the polarization in opportunity space. The gap between cities continued to diminish. The opportunity index has exhibited significant differentiation from east to west over an extended period, with the dominant spatial distribution pattern shifting from "coastal-inland" to "center-periphery" differentiation. All six dimensions of the indices show an upward trend, with the most substantial increases observed in first-time employment and amenities. The various dimensions of opportunity reveal distinct spatial and temporal evolutionary characteristics. Based on the characteristics of different opportunity combinations, six city opportunity types were identified, predominantly characterized by three lower-level city opportunity types. The spatial and temporal distribution and dynamic transformation of these six city opportunity types are active. Furthermore, the difference in the importance of opportunities between graduates of 985/211 universities and those from ordinary undergraduate institutions is primarily reflected in the two opportunity dimensions of settling down and social integration. Nonetheless, there is a consistency in the spatial distribution of employment opportunities in the respective cities for graduates from both types of institutions.

The current political and economic landscape is undergoing numerous structural adjustments, and international sanctions are increasingly spreading. This study utilizes the Global Sanctions Database to comprehensively analyze the temporal and spatial patterns of international sanctions, as well as their multidimensional effects on target countries and regions between 1950 and 2022, by integrating various types of sanctions into a unified analytical framework. The findings are as follows: (1) The number of global sanctions increased from 188 in 1950 to 12,246 in 2022, particularly exhibiting a significant surge during the post-Cold War period. (2) The spatial distribution of international sanctions aligns closely with the Brandt Line. During the Cold War, the US camp initiated approximately 70% of sanctions, but post-Cold War countries and regions in the Global North accounted for about 90% of sanctions. (3) The global sanctions network is dominated by a limited number of countries and regions in the Global North, with the United States at the forefront. As China, India, and other countries and regions have gradually developed their capacity to leverage globalization and interdependence, the previously unidirectional and asymmetric relationship of sanctions between the Global North and Global South has slowly shifted to a complex and multipolar interactive dynamic. (4) The impacts of various international sanctions on the political stability, economic development, and social stability of target countries and regions have been confirmed. Notably, military and economic sanctions predominantly affect the countries and regions in the Global South without similarly impacting those in the Global North. Furthermore, the study identifies an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic and social sanctions and gross national income and number of international refugees. Based on these insights, this study proposes strategic countermeasures for China to prevent and effectively respond to potential sanctions crises.

The natural course of transboundary rivers traverses multiple national borders, integrating distinct sovereign states into a cohesive ecological system. This geographical characteristic complicates the governance of water resources, particularly in the context of escalating global water scarcity and intensifying geopolitical tensions. Consequently, transboundary river governance has emerged as a quintessential example of the public resource dilemma. Drawing on the constructivist theory of international relations, this study uses the Lancang-Mekong River Basin as a case study, integrating data from multiple databases and socioeconomic indicators to examine the evolution of collective identity among riparian countries and the factors influencing it. The findings are as follows: (1) The collective identity of the riparian countries has evolved through three distinct phases: the incubation phase (1971-1991), the formation phase (1992-2014), and the development phase (2015-2022). During this process, the institutional structure of the basin shifted from initial, limited governance mechanisms to a more comprehensive basin-wide system. The range of issues expanded, and the number of cooperation agreements steadily increased. Cooperative attitudes evolved from broadly positive to differentiated, ultimately converging in a more favorable direction. (2) Economic interdependence is the core factor in the formation of collective identity among riparian countries. Similar diplomatic stances contribute to enhancing cooperative attitudes and play a supportive role in the formation of collective identity. (3) Extreme weather events and political globalization exert a dual effect on the formation of collective identity: while extreme weather enhances the willingness to cooperate, it also forces states to focus on domestic recovery, thus increasing the complexity of cooperation agreements and the expansion of issues. Political globalization has facilitated the institutionalization of basin governance, the normalization of cooperation, and the expansion of issues; however, external involvement has exacerbated divisions in the cooperative attitudes of riparian countries. This study enriches theoretical perspectives on transboundary river governance and supports collective action in global environmental governance.

To optimize territorial spatial patterns and promote coordinated regional development, it is critical to understand territorial functions and their coordination with social, economic, resource, and environmental dimensions. Taking China's land border areas as a case, this study constructed an evaluation framework to assess five dimensions of territorial functions: security-stability, opening-up, urban-rural development, agricultural production, and ecological protection. Based on the Bayesian random effects regression model, multidimensional coordination indices of territorial functions were developed to systematically examine their evolutionary patterns and spatial disparities. The results indicated that: (1) Functions of security-stability and ecological protection demonstrated overall enhancement, while those of opening-up and urban-rural development showed fluctuations, with agricultural production functions exhibiting regional divergence. (2) The coordination between territorial functions and social dimension improved progressively, while economic coordination declined, resource and environmental coordination slightly decreased. Based on the evolutionary patterns of territorial functions and regional characteristics, the border areas were categorized into five development types: industry transformation-function slowdown, ecological constraint-function moderate growth, resource driving-function fluctuation, ecological constraint-function slowdown, and openness driving-function rapid growth. (3) The intra-group differences in territorial function coordination showed increasing fluctuations, while inter-group differences gradually narrowed. Notably, the northeastern border areas demonstrated greater internal variation, whereas the southwestern border areas displayed relatively minor differences. Inter-group differences contributed more to the overall disparity, primarily driven by imbalances across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This study reveals the differentiated development pathways of territorial functions and provides strategic support for the sustainable development of border areas, including industrial transformation, resource-ecology synergy, infrastructure enhancement, and multilateral cooperation.

Existing studies on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) mainly focused on institutional features, macro-economic impacts and trade-network structures, while its geographic attributes and their implications remain underexplored. Taking the RCEP as a case, this paper examines how the FTA reshapes China's trade geography and validates these effects with an enhanced GTAP model, providing an empirical basis for advancing trade-geography theory. Key findings include: (1) RCEP significantly reduces regional trade costs. After full implementation of the agreement, the average tariffs among member countries will decrease to 40.5% of the pre-implementation level, while import and export trade facilitation levels improve by 34.3% and 29.6%, respectively. However, these improvements exhibit marked regional disparities. (2) RCEP asymmetrically promotes China's foreign trade growth, with stronger import stimulation than export expansion, alongside significant commodity-specific variations. (3) The agreement reshapes China's trade geography, driving a 7.66% increase in intra-RCEP trade while reducing extra-RCEP trade by 0.80%. (4) The restructuring of China's trade patterns under RCEP emerges from the complex interplay of trade creation, diversion, and displacement effects. Accordingly, China should further harmonize regional tariff schedules, enhance trade-facilitation mechanisms, strengthen industrial competitiveness and expand multilateral partnerships.