Unequal partnerships: Asymmetrical effects of urban economic linkages on land-use efficiency in 284 cities, China

As urbanization progresses, efficient land resource management is essential for sustainable urban development. While existing studies emphasize the positive impact of urban economic linkages (UEL) on urban land-use efficiency (ULUE), they often assume equal partnerships, overlooking the asymmetric nature of UEL. This study uses a modified gravity model and super-efficiency SBM model to explore the impact of unequal economic linkages within the UEL network on ULUE across 284 Chinese cities from 2002 to 2021. The findings reveal that ULUE increased until 2017 but declined thereafter. Cities in the southeastern coastal regions show higher ULUE, while those in the northeast exhibit lower efficiency. The Tobit model analysis indicates that cities with greater dominance in the UEL network tend to have higher ULUE, while those more dependent on external economies experience lower ULUE. Robustness checks confirm the stability of these results across different model specifications. The study underscores the importance of fostering more balanced economic linkages and advocates for policy reforms aimed at enhancing urban economic integration to improve ULUE across cities.