The purpose of this study is to explore hotspots or clusters of gastrointestinal tumors (GI) and their spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and the changes over time in 293 villages and communities in Jianze County, central China, through the kernel density estimation (KDE) method based on the rarely considered heterogeneous background. The main findings were: (1) Heterogeneous background impact: there were substantial differences in the GI case rate among people of different ages and genders in Jianze County. Specifically, the GI case rate was significantly higher in the elderly population over 65 than in the population under 65, and higher in men than in women. (2) GI in Jianze County exhibited spatial specific and aggregated hotspots. The high-value spatial clusters were mainly located in Hujindian Town in the northern county, Wupu Town and Geputan Town in the middle, and Xiaxindian Town in the south. Some villages had persistent hot spots for multiple years. (3) Most GI hotspots in Jianze County were concentrated in areas with both high density of local chemical plants and with water systems in the neighbourhood. We expect that this study provides a scientific basis for exploring unknown risk factors of tumor occurrence from a spatial perspective in the future.

Hong Kong has long been a key platform for China’s overseas investment and international engagements. However, its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), other than that of the Hong Kong branches of Chinese state-owned enterprises, has been limited. This chapter examines the expected role of Hong Kong in the BRI from the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, including BRI policy-makers. As challenges in implementing the BRI projects have snowballed, the significance of Hong Kong’s role has increased. This has culminated in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area plan as a national strategy through which Hong Kong’s unique advantages can be deployed and diffused throughout the region by further institutional reforms and social transformations, in addition to the mobilization of valuable resources such as finance and human talent.