On-spot transformation of coal resources and avoidance of the resource curse

Here,we focus on identifying differences between coal resource-oriented areas in China because the identification of‘resource curses' in areas requires a solution with strategies for avoiding risk. It is of practical significance for national energy security and regional development to identify differences in resource curses in coal resource regions and develop clear ways to avoid this curse. Our coal resource- oriented areas include eight provincial districts(Shanxi,Inner Mongolia,Shaanxi,Guizhou,Guangxi,Hunan,Hubei and Henan)in central and western China.Collecting and applying inter- provincial panel data from 2000 to 2012 we attempted to conduct a regression analysis on the relationship between(1)coal- richness and economic growth;(2)the exploitation of coal resources and economic growth;and(3) application methods of coal and economic growth. The results reveal resource curses in samples of coal- oriented provinces,whereby the development of coal resources restrains economic growth to some extent and resource richness is sometimes hindered in the progress of development. However,we also found that resource curses are comparatively avoided in Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia,and the economies in these two districts have achieved rapid development in recent years due to on-spot transformation of coal resources. Relative proposals are put forward to avoid resource curses using on- spot transformation methods.