Zou Wei and Lu Yuanping, researchers from the Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation of Income Distribution and Public Finance (111 Center), published an essay "Infrastructure Construction for Last-mile Delivery and Inclusive Rural Growth: On the Role of Express Logistics in Building a Unified National Market" in Issue No. 7, 2025 of the authoritative domestic journal named Journal of Financial Research.
Abstract
Infrastructure construction for last-mile delivery, represented by express logistics, is an important means of building a unified national market and promoting inclusive rural growth. This paper, by matching data on express delivery outlets with rural fixed observation points, employs a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to examine the impact of infrastructure construction for last-mile delivery on inclusive rural growth. The results show that delivery services provided by express outlets significantly increase rural household income, narrow income disparities in rural areas, and ultimately achieve inclusive rural growth. Further analysis reveals that once villages are incorporated into the express delivery network, on the one hand, production costs in rural areas—particularly in economically underdeveloped villages—are reduced; on the other hand, logistics channels for agricultural products to reach urban markets are opened up, while also encouraging enterprise establishment in less developed villages. These effects contribute to improving rural employment and mitigating income inequality. From the perspective of last-mile delivery infrastructure, this study offers new insights for the development of a unified national market and the comprehensive advancement of rural revitalization.
About the Authors
Zou Wei is an annual-salary-system Associate Professor and Master's Supervisor at the School of Public Finance and Taxation, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, as well as a Researcher at the Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation of Income Distribution and Public Finance supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology. He holds a Ph.D. in Management from Sun Yat-sen University and was a jointly trained doctor at the National University of Singapore. His research areas include local government behavior, income distribution, and regional economy. He has published papers in domestic and international academic journals such as The Journal of World Economy, Statistical Research, Chinese Public Administration, and Journal of Asian Economics. His research achievements have been incorporated into national planning and received positive instructions from provincial and ministerial leaders.
Lu Yuanping is a Wenlan Distinguished Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Director of the Academic Affairs Office, and Executive Director of the Center for International Cooperation and Disciplinary Innovation of Income Distribution and Public Finance supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. He was selected as a young top-notch talent in the National Talent Program and in Hubei Province. He serves as a member of ZUEL's academic committee, executive director of the China Association of Labor Economics and the Hubei Population Association, and an expert in the Social Security Talent Pool of the Ministry of Finance. His research fields include income distribution, social security, fiscal taxation policy, happiness economics, etc. He has presided over 20 national, provincial, and ministerial projects, including major projects of the National Social Science Fund of China, general programs and young scientists fund projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, projects supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Fund of the Ministry of Education, and the ministry-provincial cooperation projects of the Ministry of Finance. His research results have been published in journals such as Economic Research Journal, Journal of Management World, China Economic Quarterly, Journal of Financial Research, Chinese Rural Economy, Finance & Trade Economics, Economic Perspectives, Cities, Journal of Happiness Studies, China & World Economy and The Social Science Journal. He is an anonymous reviewer for journals such as Economic Research Journal, Journal of Management World, China Economic Quarterly, China Industrial Economics, Journal of Financial Research, Finance & Trade Economics, Journal of Happiness Studies, and China Economic Review, and a communication review expert of the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
About Journal of Financial Research
Journal of Financial Research (monthly) was founded in 1980. It is an official publication supervised by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and sponsored by the China Society for Finance & Banking, with public distribution at home and abroad. It has become an authoritative academic journal integrating theory, policy and practice that occupies an important position in China's financial theoretical research and practical investigation, is rooted in the practice of financial reform and development, and leads the academic frontier. In 2005, Journal of Financial Research won the Third National Award for Periodicals, the highest government award in China's press and publication industry. Its main columns include Commentary, Theoretical Garden, Global Finance, International Banking, Operation and Management, Overseas Literature, Forum on China's Economy, Financial Observation, Financial Technology, Financial Market, etc.