Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The subject of the article is very important, so it is worth publishing this article. However, it should be corrected. I suggest the following changes:

- Precisely define the aim of the research and clarify whether it concerns a selected region or all resource regions undergoing economic transformation. This explanation will provide a basis for the possibility of generalizing the results of the study. It is difficult to formulate universal conclusions on the basis of a single case study.

- Conclusive formulation of the research gap.

- Deepening theoretical considerations on the transformation of the economy of resource regions in other countries (apart from China) and at various stages of the world's economic development; This will allow you to compare the results of the study with real processes that have already taken place and can be a model for consideration.

- Correcting the interpretation of results, especially in parts 3 - Spatial convergence characteristics...., because it is formal, technical, mathematical in nature. I propose to relate the results to real phenomena and processes in the economy of the studied region. What has changed or could have changed in real terms based on the results obtained?

- Supplementing the discussion with the results of research by other authors.

In addition, please consider whether:
- Are verses 239-241 necessary? Isn't this the text of an article template?
- Is it really possible to develop a one-size-fits-all strategy for resource-based regions? This is what it says in verses 66-67.

Author Response

Dear reviewer：

Thank you very much for taking your time to review this manuscript. I really appreciate all your decision and constructive comments on my manuscript, which is crucial to the quality of the article! We have carefully considered the suggestion of Reviewer and make some changes. Please find my itemized responses in below and my corrections in the re-submitted files.

Comments 1:

Precisely define the aim of the research and clarify whether it concerns a selected region or all resource regions undergoing economic transformation. This explanation will provide a basis for the possibility of generalizing the results of the study. It is difficult to formulate universal conclusions on the basis of a single case study.

Response 1:

Thank you for your suggestions, which have helped to improve the article. The reasons for the selection of the research site in this paper were not detailed enough, and have now been added in the introduction. Here I also re-explain. The reason for choosing Heilongjiang Province for the study is that Heilongjiang Province is a typical representative of resource-dependent cities in Northeast China, a resource-rich but slower-developing economic region, and Heilongjiang Province has a relatively lower GDP among the three provinces in Northeast China. Therefore, Heilongjiang Province not only has the development characteristics of a typical resource-dependent city in Northeast China, but also has the complex characteristics of industrialization transformation and a series of forestry reform policies, which not only represents the general characteristics of resource-dependent regions in China, but also serves as a reference case for the transformation and development of a number of key state-owned forest areas in China in the context of forestry system reform. Therefore, the study of Heilongjiang Province is universal, and can be used as a research model for the transformation and development of resource-dependent regions, as well as a reference case for the transformation and development of industries in China's key state-owned forest areas in the context of the reform of the forestry system.The most significant change is in line 84-134 .

Comments 2:

Conclusive formulation of the research gap.

Deepening theoretical considerations on the transformation of the economy of resource regions in other countries (apart from China) and at various stages of the world's economic development; This will allow you to compare the results of the study with real processes that have already taken place and can be a model for consideration.

Response 2: 

We have supplemented the research of foreign scholars on industrial spatial pattern in the introduction part. Most of the existing research adopts a single statistical method to elaborate the complex spatial characteristics of the development of a certain type of industry, which often ignores the spatial correlation between different industries and the development of industries in different regions. In addition, there is a gap in the research on the impact of industrial spatial configuration on the transformation and development of resource-based regions. This paper attempts to promote resource-dependent regions to optimize their industrial layout and promote the coordinated development of regional industries by analyzing the spatial pattern of resource-based industries and their driving effects. The corresponding supplementary changes is in line 42-75.

Comments 3:

Correcting the interpretation of results, especially in parts 3 - Spatial convergence characteristics...., because it is formal, technical, mathematical in nature. I propose to relate the results to real phenomena and processes in the economy of the studied region. What has changed or could have changed in real terms based on the results obtained?

Response 3: 

We sincerely thank the reviewer for careful reading.As suggested by the reviewer, we tried our best to improve the manuscript and made some changes to the manuscript.We add in section III a detailed analysis of the results in the context of the current situation and policies in the study area, as shown in lines 306-317/lines 377-407.

Comments 4:

- Supplementing the discussion with the results of research by other authors.

In addition, please consider whether:

- Are verses 239-241 necessary? Isn't this the text of an article template?

- Is it really possible to develop a one-size-fits-all strategy for resource-based regions? This is what it says in verses 66-67.

Response4: 

The discussion section of the paper has been reorganized, following the principle that the main results obtained should be accounted for first, followed by an in-depth analysis.

Thank you for pointing out the problem, lines 239-241 have been deleted, the hypothesis of the resource curse is not fully representative of the situation in the study area, and we have revised this part of the statement in three places and in the introduction.As shown in lines 76-108.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript examines how industrial spatial configuration can promote the transitional development of resource-dependent regions, with a focus on Heilongjiang Province, China. Through an empirical analysis, the research aims to demonstrate the importance of spatial convergence and networking in industrial development, as well as the strategies that can be implemented to address the challenges arising from the depletion of natural resources. The manuscript makes a significant contribution to the discussion on the development of resource-dependent regions, particularly in Heilongjiang Province. However, there are areas that could be improved, such as a more extensive analysis of the relationship with existing literature and the improvement of language clarity. The tables and figures support the analysis well, but it would be beneficial to integrate them more effectively into the text.

Introduction: The manuscript presents the topic with sufficient clarity and provides the theoretical background that supports the research. However, the relationship between this study and other relevant research in the field could be further analyzed to strengthen the context in which the study is placed. You could incorporate more references from the international literature that compare similar studies with the research topic.

Methodology: The methodology is described in detail, and the methods used are appropriate for achieving the research objectives. However, it would be helpful to place more emphasis on justifying the choice of specific methods in comparison to other possible methods.

Conclusions: The conclusions are adequately linked to the results of the analysis, but some points could be further developed, especially regarding the practical applications of the proposed strategies.

Development of Findings Discussion: You could expand the discussion of the findings, focusing on the practical applications of the results. Try to connect your findings with China's broader political and economic strategy, as well as global strategies for the development of regions facing resource depletion.

Review of Introduction and Conclusion: You could revise the introduction and conclusion to achieve greater coherence. Consider using clear subheadings that describe the different sections of the analysis, thus enhancing the flow of the text and making it easier for the reader to follow your argumentation.

Improvement of Language and Clarity: It is recommended to hire a professional editor to review the language of the article. Some phrases are somewhat difficult to understand and could be rephrased for greater clarity. Using simpler and more direct language will improve the readability of the article.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Improvement of Language and Clarity: It is recommended to hire a professional editor to review the language of the article. Some phrases are somewhat difficult to understand and could be rephrased for greater clarity. Using simpler and more direct language will improve the readability of the article.

Author Response

Dear reviewer：

Thank you very much for taking your time to review this manuscript. I really appreciate all your decision and constructive comments on my manuscript, which is crucial to the quality of the article! We have carefully considered the suggestion of Reviewer and make some changes. Please find my itemized responses in below and my corrections in the re-submitted files.

 

Comments 1:

Introduction: The manuscript presents the topic with sufficient clarity and provides the theoretical background that supports the research. However, the relationship between this study and other relevant research in the field could be further analyzed to strengthen the context in which the study is placed. You could incorporate more references from the international literature that compare similar studies with the research topic.

Response 1:

Thank you for your thorough review of our manuscript and for the valuable feedback. We appreciate your recognition of the manuscript's clarity in presenting the topic and its theoretical background. We agree that further analyzing the relationship between our study and other relevant research in the field is crucial to strengthen the contextual framework within which our research is situated.

To address this point, we plan to incorporate the following revisions:

Expanded Literature Review: We will conduct an in-depth search of the international literature to identify additional studies that are comparable to ours in terms of methodology, research questions, or findings. This will help us position our work more precisely within the broader research landscape.

Comparative Analysis: Within the revised literature review, we will explicitly compare and contrast our findings with those of similar studies. This comparative analysis will highlight the unique contributions of our research, as well as identify potential gaps or limitations that our study aims to address.

 

Comments 2:

Methodology: The methodology is described in detail, and the methods used are appropriate for achieving the research objectives. However, it would be helpful to place more emphasis on justifying the choice of specific methods in comparison to other possible methods.

 

Response 2: 

Thank you for your thoughtful review of our manuscript and for highlighting the importance of justifying the choice of specific methods. We appreciate your recognition of the detailed description of our methodology and the appropriateness of the methods used to achieve our research objectives.An explanatory note on the research methodology used in the article was added in line 174-183/line 221-229/line 244-250.

Comments 3:

Conclusions: The conclusions are adequately linked to the results of the analysis, but some points could be further developed, especially regarding the practical applications of the proposed strategies.

Response 3: 

Throughout the conclusions section, we will revise the text to ensure that the practical applications of our strategies are clearly and compellingly presented. We will strive to balance the need for detail with the importance of conciseness and clarity.It showed in Line 688-723.

We believe that these revisions will significantly enhance the conclusions section by providing a more comprehensive and actionable discussion of the practical applications of our proposed strategies.

 

Comments 4:

Development of Findings Discussion: You could expand the discussion of the findings, focusing on the practical applications of the results. Try to connect your findings with China's broader political and economic strategy, as well as global strategies for the development of regions facing resource depletion.

Response 4: 

Thank you for your suggestion, we have added a discussion at the end of the article after the suggestion as you suggested, in lines 817-830.

 

Comments 5:

Review of Introduction and Conclusion: You could revise the introduction and conclusion to achieve greater coherence. Consider using clear subheadings that describe the different sections of the analysis, thus enhancing the flow of the text and making it easier for the reader to follow your argumentation.

Response 5: 

Thank you for your suggestion, we have changed it in the conclusion section of the article as you suggested.The discussion section of the paper has been reorganized, following the principle that the main results obtained should be accounted for first, followed by an in-depth analysis. we have also included some detailed results in the RESULTS section in order to correspond logically with the previous section. The areas of the discussion that have been significantly changed are marked in red.The main changes involved are as follows.4 Results: line41- 134/ line 688- 728.

Comments 6:

Improvement of Language and Clarity: It is recommended to hire a professional editor to review the language of the article. Some phrases are somewhat difficult to understand and could be rephrased for greater clarity. Using simpler and more direct language will improve the readability of the article.

Response 5:

Thank you very much for your careful review of this study and your valuable comments. Your suggestions for language improvement and clarity are very pertinent and we fully agree that they are essential to improving the readability and impact of the article. In response to your specific suggestions, we have taken the following measures to optimize the language of the article: During the article revision process, we paid special attention to phrases that may be difficult to understand in the research background section, and tried to restate them in simpler and more direct language. We understand the importance of clear language in academic writing and will do our best to improve it according to your suggestions. We look forward to presenting you with a clearer, easier to read and more impactful study in the revised version.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Abstract

The research is based on looking into the transformative development in resource-based regions and for this research; the Heilongjiang Province of China is chosen to attain the aim and objective of the study. Resource-based regions are manifested in development dilemmas due to the deletion of natural resources and the study focused on analysing the industrialisation of the region and sustainability. The result of the research showed that Heilongjiang Province is associated with the construction of a spatial pattern which can be characterised by primary, secondary and tertiary industries and this serves as the fuel for transformative development.

Introduction

It has been often observed that, in resource-based regions, transformative development is a significant factor that leads to global sustainable development. However, it has often been observed that these resource-based regions faced the issue of insufficient development momentum that in turn leads to economic, employment and environmental challenges and this is regarded as the 'Resource Curse'. The selected Heilongjiang Province of China is a good example of a resource-based region that has faced the 'resource curse', and economic prosperity and also has seen revitalisation of industries. 

Methodology

The region chosen is the Heilongjiang Province of China which is rich with black soil, forest resources, and mineral resources such as coal and oil. The research has applied various models to analyse the development of this region and these include the spatial Convergence model, the Modified Gravity Model, and the Social Network Analysis. The study utilised secondary available data from various authentic and reliable sources to analyse the industrial transformation and growth of this region within a time of 2011-2020. The collected data were then analysed through the Spatial Correlation Network Diagram.

Discussion and Result

The result showed certain facts such as - between the study period spatial convergence was observed in the development of secondary industries, and the secondary and tertiary industries during the time had good accessibility, however, the strength and stability of spatial convergence needed improvement. The research also found that an increase in network efficiency can effectively promote the spatial balance of the development of the secondary and tertiary industries.

Conclusion and Recommendation

It was concluded from the research that the closer the spatial correlation between each region, there is a chance of more benefits. Heilongjiang Province of China is observed to construct a spatial pattern characterized by the complementarities of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries leading to transformative development. The research suggests that optimising the industrial structure, focusing on regional characteristics for industrial development, improving the transportation network and strengthening regional cooperation and correlation effect can help resource-based Heilongjiang Province in sustainable development. 

COMMENTS

 

The researcher throughout the study has efficiently structured the mode of study and has used simple language for research to make it understandable for others. In addition, the methodology section is also explained in detail however, the study is focused on the Heilongjiang Province of China and the observations and conclusions drawn based on the particular region cannot be effectively applied to resource-based regions all over the world. The study is based fully on secondary data; however, the inclusion of primary data could have helped the research to explore some challenges and issues that are faced during industrialization or reindustrialisation of resource-based regions thereby increasing the standard and effectiveness of the study.     

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

Dear reviewer：

Thank you very much for taking your time to review this manuscript. I really appreciate all your decision and constructive comments on my manuscript, which is crucial to the quality of the article! We have carefully considered the suggestion of Reviewer and make some changes. Please find my itemized responses in below and my corrections in the re-submitted files.

 

Review 1

Question 1:

The researcher throughout the study has efficiently structured the mode of study and has used simple language for research to make it understandable for others. In addition, the methodology section is also explained in detail however, the study is focused on the Heilongjiang Province of China and the observations and conclusions drawn based on the particular region cannot be effectively applied to resource-based regions all over the world. The study is based fully on secondary data; however, the inclusion of primary data could have helped the research to explore some challenges and issues that are faced during industrialization or reindustrialisation of resource-based regions thereby increasing the standard and effectiveness of the study.     

Answer 1: 

Thank you very much for your valuable comments. Indeed, this study focuses mainly on Heilongjiang Province in China, so its conclusions may have some geographical limitations. We acknowledge this and emphasize that the main purpose of this study is to explore and understand in depth the process of industrialization or reindustrialization in a particular region. In the future, we encourage other researchers to further explore industrialization or re-industrialization processes in other resource-based regions in order to verify and extend our conclusions, thereby enhancing their general applicability.

In terms of data sources, we are currently mainly using secondary data, which is really for time, cost and data accessibility reasons. We acknowledge that using only secondary data may limit the depth and breadth of the study. Therefore, in future studies, we will try to combine first-hand data, such as through questionnaires, interviews or field visits, to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the actual problems and challenges faced by resource-based regions in the process of industrialization or re-industrialization, so as to improve the standard and effectiveness of the research.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you very much for the update. The manuscript has been improved as the suggested changes have been incorporated. I believe it can now be published in its current form.