Citizen environmental complaints play a key role in China’s current environmental monitoring network and environmental governance system. Based on 5796 cases of environmental complaints lodged by citizens via hotline and the internet to the MEP of China, we examined the spatial characteristics and influencing factors of citizen complaints for the period of 2013–2017 using spatial analysis methods and spatial econometric models. The roles of citizen complaints in the two systems were then reevaluated. The results show that, among all cases, 75.88% of cases were identified as verified complaints, while nearly a 25% noisy rate directed large amounts of inspection resources to be utilized in response to nonverified cases. Air pollution received the most attention by citizens in China, accounting for 67.22% of total cases. The hotspots of citizen complaints were mostly distributed in the three major national urban agglomerations in China. We found that industrial wastewater and SO₂ were positively associated with the likelihood of citizens filing complaints, while the effect of industrial soot/dust emission was insignificant. Citizen complaints might be triggered by certain, but not all, forms of pollutants, even though highly visible particulate pollutants did not necessarily induce corresponding complaints. Moreover, the negative relationship between citizen complaints and per capita GDP revealed the unbalanced geographical pattern between economical development and environmental quality. The proliferation of the internet greatly facilitated citizens lodging complaints through various ways. The synergy mechanism between citizen environmental complaints and other parts in China’s environmental monitoring and governance system should be established in the future.

How will export expansion alter the internal geography of industrial development? Does it develop core regions at the expense of periphery regions? From an evolutionary point of view, this study investigates the effects of export expansion on the local capabilities for developing new industries (i.e., regional diversification). Using statistical data from China Customs and China’s Annual Survey of Industrial Firms, covering 334 prefectures during 2003 to 2013, this study examines the role of export openness and new exports in promoting regional diversification. Empirical results demonstrate that export openness can promote economies of scale and improve the already existing capabilities. New exports can introduce extraregional inputs and promote economies of scope. It will encourage the development of new industries regardless of the preexisting local capabilities. This mechanism works for both the core and the periphery. As such, export expansion is likely to open an opportunity window for lagging regions. Our findings also offer insights into development policies for lagging regions in response to export growth. Key Words: export expansion, global–local linkage, path dependence, regional diversification, trade geography.