A Multi-Dimensional Test of Social Effects of the Opening of High-Speed Rail in China
Based on previous studies, this paper innovatively summarizes the multi-dimensional social effects generated by the opening of high-speed rail, and interprets the social effects of high-speed rail from four aspects: accelerating population mobility and employment, improving land value in radiation areas, promoting regional balanced development, and optimizing industrial structure. And taking the panel data of 292 cities in China from 2007 to 2016 as samples, we constructed difference-in-difference model. Then by calculating the difference between the treatment group (cities with high-speed rail opening) and the control group (cities without high-speed rail opening) before and after the event, the net effect of the event was obtained. The study finds that: the opening of high-speed rail can accelerate population inflow and promote employment; increase the value of land in the radiation regions and increase the price of commercial housing; narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas along the route and promote balanced development among different regions; promote the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure of cities along the route.