Regional differences and driving factors of population security in China's border areas from the location perspective

Population security in border areas is the foundation and an important guarantee of national security. Research on its driving mechanisms can provide a reference for promoting sustainable development in border areas and formulating national border security policies. From a locational perspective, this paper divides China's border areas into five regions, constructs a theoretical framework for the connotation and driving factors of population security in border areas, and establishes an indicator system suitable for evaluating the level of population security in border areas. Using the Topsis-entropy method and the geographic detector model, this study analyzes regional differences in population security levels in border areas from 1990 to 2020 and their driving factors. The results show that from 1990 to 2020, the population security level in border areas first increased and then declined, with an overall low level. There are significant variations in population security development types across different border areas, with growth rates gradually slowing and regional disparities narrowing. The population security level in border areas is influenced by various factors and exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity. To promote the coordinated development of border areas and safeguard national security, this paper proposes specific policy recommendations addressing population security issues and their underlying causes.