Center for Research on Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University - Study on the Backgrounds of Officials in Chinese Prefectural Cities
Company overview
The Center for Research on Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University is one of the key research bases for humanities and social sciences established by the Ministry of Education and falls under the humanities and social sciences framework of Sun Yat-sen University. Since its establishment, the center has consistently focused on socioeconomic development issues in Hong Kong, Macau, and the Pearl River Delta region, undertaking numerous major projects at the national and provincial-ministerial levels. In 2004, the center was included in the Ministry of Education's 'Phase II of the 985 Project' as an innovative base for philosophical and social science research at Sun Yat-sen University. Leveraging the interdisciplinary strengths of Sun Yat-sen University in humanities and social sciences, the center has developed a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research platform centered on regional economics, public policy, urban development, and social governance, providing extensive support to academic circles, government decision-making, and social development practices
Research background
In the context of advancing the modernization of China's governance system and governance capacity, the relationship between local government performance and the characteristics of its officials has increasingly become a focus of academic inquiry. To explore the potential connections between the personal attributes of local leaders and local fiscal performance, the Center for Research on Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University initiated a dedicated research project, aiming to reveal the interactive logic between institutional arrangements and policy outcomes through empirical data. As the lead researcher, Zhang Guangnan, Deputy Director of the Center, has long studied the interplay among government investment, economic growth, and institutional factors. His research offers significant reference value for policy optimization.
Research scope
In November 2015, CEIDEA Research was commissioned by Zhang Guangnan, Deputy Director of the Center for Research on Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University, and his research team to conduct a data collection effort on the composition of prefectural city leadership teams from 2001 to 2013. The study selected approximately 300 prefectural cities across China as its sample units, systematically collecting personal background information—including gender, year of birth, place of origin, education level, academic discipline, tenure, and career trajectories—for mayors and party secretaries. Concurrently, annual general budget fiscal revenue and expenditure data for each city were also collected. The entire data collection process was based on publicly available sources, supplemented by data verification and structural processing, providing standardized data support for the research team's subsequent empirical analysis.
Expected outcomes
The dataset developed through this study will provide a solid empirical foundation for the Center for Research on Hong Kong, Macau and the Pearl River Delta, Sun Yat-sen University to further investigate the relationship between local government fiscal performance and the backgrounds of its officials. The research is expected to reveal the impact patterns of official appointment characteristics on local economic development strategies and fiscal execution effectiveness, thereby contributing to the improvement of official selection systems and policy-making mechanisms. Additionally, the findings will offer practical insights and theoretical support for national policy innovation and regional coordination strategies.
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