The change in land use leads to territorial spatial conflict. Territorial spatial conflicts mainly show that the boundaries of agricultural space, urban space, and ecological space overlap each other and interfere with each other’s functions, which will have a negative impact on regional high-quality development. The Aksu River, the most principal source of the Tarim River, the largest instream river in China, is a key area for maintaining ecological security in Northwestern China. It is highly significant to identify the spatial conflict characteristics of land use in this region to promote the sustainable use of regional land resources, optimization of spatial patterns, and the balance between economic construction and ecological environmental protection in mountainous areas. This paper takes the Aksu River Basin as the research area. Using Arcgis 10.8 software, Yaahp software, and SPSSAU software, it builds a land use spatial conflict measurement model based on a quantitative analysis of land use changes from 1990 to 2020 and explores the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of land use conflicts in the Aksu River Basin. The results show that: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the spatial conflict pattern of the study area was dominated by ecological spatial conflicts. The spatial conflict area shows dynamic changes, but the overall trend is decreasing. (2) The spatial conflict pattern of territorial space in the Aksu River Basin has basically formed, and the three types of spatial conflicts are closely related to the level of local economic development. (3) Ecological spatial conflicts are mainly distributed in high-altitude mountains, river valleys, and oasis-to-desert transition areas. Urban spatial conflicts are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Aksu River plain oasis. Agricultural spatial conflicts are scattered but large in scale, with small differences in the proportion of conflict distribution among the counties.

To achieve high-quality sustainable development in arid areas based on the concept of ecological civilization, it is necessary to deeply study the territorial spatial structure characteristics. Taking the Aksu River Basin, an important ecological security barrier in northwest China, as an example, this paper follows the research idea of “feature analysis-suitability evaluation-conflict identification analysis-optimization” and constructs a comprehensive model based on the AHP-entropy weight comprehensive evaluation method, ArcGIS spatial identification analysis, variance coefficient-TOPSIS method, and NRCA. A comprehensive model based on the AHP-entropy power integrated evaluation method, ArcGIS spatial identification analysis, variance coefficient-TOPSIS method, and NRCA was constructed to guide the optimization of the territorial spatial layout by exploring the characteristics of territorial spatial pattern, the suitability of territorial spatial development, the identification of territorial spatial conflicts, and the efficiency and functional advantage of territorial spatial utilization in the study area. The results show that: (1) The spatial type of territorial space in the Aksu River Basin from 2000 to 2020 is dominated by ecological space, agricultural space, and urban space, and the three spatial boundaries are irregularly interlaced. (2) The spatial utilization conflict pattern of the Aksu River Basin has formed, and the general conflict area is overgrowing. (3) The overall efficiency of territorial utilization in the Aksu River Basin is low, with significant differences among county administrative units. (4) After optimization, the three types of space in the watershed are adjusted and refined into six functional areas: basic farmland protection area, rural development area, ecological protection red line area, ecological control area, urban development area, and industrial supporting construction area.

The China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor (CMREC) region is part of the Silk Road Economic Belt and is critical to world food grain safety, and thus, developing its potential grain production will help counter any global food crisis. In this study, a grain production potential measurement system for the CMREC was designed and developed using spatial data to progressively correct environmental factor functions. The potential yield per unit area and potential area of four grain crops in 48 provinces were scientifically and systematically evaluated, and the grain production potential, development potential, and development potential range were calculated. The results show that the grain production potential and development potential of the corridor are significant. The yield of wheat and maize is mainly distributed in Siberia and the south of the Russian Far East. The development potential of soybean is very large and is mainly concentrated in the Russian Far East and northeast region of Mongolia. However, there is little room for paddy yield improvement, and its potential is mainly concentrated in northeast China. The grain production potential forms a high-value region with a low value from north to south, high value in the middle, extending from northwest to southeast. Grain and cereals in the whole region amounted to 8.45 × 10⁸ t (4.25 × 10⁸ t in Russia, 4.03 × 10⁸ t in China, and 0.12 × 10⁸ t in Mongolia). In terms of grain type, maize has the highest productivity potential with 1.96 × 10⁸ t, followed by wheat at 1.45 × 10⁸ t. The potential for paddy is 0.58 × 10⁴ t, whereas soybean has the lowest potential of 0.40 × 10⁸ t. The results of this study provide evidential support in the form of data for the development of the complementary advantages of agricultural resources, construction of the CMREC, and joint development of a food resource free trade zone. The CMREC will strengthen the development of modern, green, high-yield, high-quality, and efficient grain production zones for soybean and maize, and promote the diversification of grain resource cooperation.

The Yellow River Basin is an essential ecological barrier in China, but it is relatively underdeveloped. The human–land relationship needs to be coordinated, and the ecological environment is fragile, which seriously restricts the sustainable development of the urban agglomeration in the Yellow River Basin. In this study, a “five-dimensional integrated” comprehensive carrying capacity evaluation model is constructed using the five dimensions of water, land, ecology, monitoring, and early warning to evaluate its resource carrying capacity quantitatively. It constructs an early warning system of the resource carrying capacity based on the quantitative evaluation results and monitors the state of the resource carrying capacity. The results show that (1) seven major urban agglomerations’ populations, grain productions, and land are surplus, and 50.85% of prefecture-level cities have food surpluses regarding human–food relationships. (2) There are shortages in the urban agglomeration’s water resources and a deficit in the water resource carrying capacity. (3) The average ecological carrying capacity index is 0.519, indicating a state of ecological affluence. (4) The comprehensive resource carrying capacity is defined as level-three heavy-load conditions, while 67%, 22%, and 14% of cities have level-one, -two, and -three heavy-load conditions, respectively. This study can aid in the monitoring of the resource carrying status of the Yellow River Basin. These results provide a scientific basis for effectively restraining the utilization and development of natural resources in the Yellow River Basin. It can also provide a research paradigm for the world’s river basins, as well as the sustainable development of man and nature in the world.