The conflict between economic growth and the arable land demand poses a significant challenge to maintaining food security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, substantial regional disparities in food consumption contribute to variations in land demand, further exacerbating constraints on food security. However, few studies have delved into regional differences in land demand related to food consumption. To bridge these gaps, this study estimated the arable land demand and associated pressures, considering food consumption patterns and the land footprint across 31 provincial districts in China. The findings reveal that grains remain the primary crop consumed by Chinese residents. Notably, the food consumption pattern exhibits substantial disparities among provincial districts, particularly concerning livestock products. Given China's vast population and escalating consumption of livestock, the country demonstrates heightened land demands. While China does not face a national-level food security threat, regional disparities are evident, with eight provincial districts facing potential food security risks. This study explored the challenges and pathways in maintaining food security and the visions to achieve it, emphasizing the importance of sustaining a balanced food consumption pattern, reducing food waste, improving environmentally friendly agriculture practices, formulating effective and continuous laws and regulations, and exploring potential land resource development to alleviate the pressure on arable land and ensure food security.

In the context of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, the sustainable development of border cities is paramount for facilitating intergovernmental exchanges. Using the system dynamics approach, we integrated border policy factors to create the Border City Coordinated Development (BCCD-SD) model, encompassing three dimensions: Economic, Social, and Resource-Environment. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation indicator, the City Coordinated Development Index (CCDI), was devised. Using Lincang City in Southwest China as a case study, this article examines the trends in city development under three scenarios: Inertial Development, Rapid Development, and Green Development. The research findings demonstrate that the model adeptly captures trends in the city coordinated development indicators. Among the three scenarios, the rapid development scenario stands out, yielding the most favorable economic indicators, superior public infrastructure, and the highest employed population. However, the rapid development path, which is heavily focused on economic growth, intensifies resource and environmental pressures, giving rise to sustainability challenges. In contrast, although the green development scenario trails slightly in economic performance compared to rapid development, it fosters a larger urban population and transition of the employed population into citizens while excelling in resource and environmental aspects. Overall, the CCDI attains its highest score under the green development scenario, surpassing those of rapid and inertia development, signifying superior city development coordination along the green path. This scenario effectively combines economic growth, social progress, and resource-environment protection. This study also emphasizes the pivotal role of ports in the coordinated development of border cities and underscores the necessity of expediting the transition from a “gateway” economy to a “port+” economy. One objective of this article is to encourage border cities to serve as more effective windows to the outside world, promote regional coordination, and achieve high-quality development.