15 Social and Urban Policy Low, Donald. The Price of Zero : China’s Policy Missteps during and after Covid. Hong Kong: Regal Printing Limited, 2024. Focus of Study The book delves into the causes and economic consequences of China’s zero-Covid policy. Initially effective in controlling the outbreak, this approach eventually led to significant challenges as the virus became more transmissible and as highly effective vaccines became available. The government’s reliance on strict suppression measures, combined with a series of regulatory crackdowns, weakened consumer and investor confidence, and created deflationary pressures. Despite the authorities stepping up efforts to catalyze an economic recovery in last quarter of 2024, underlying structural problems – such as a low consumption share of GDP, over-reliance investment to drive growth, high levels of corporate and local government debt, and a prolonged property slump – are unlikely to go away soon. It is also unclear how the new emphasis on new quality productive forces would end deflation, given concerns over excess supply. The book underlines the importance of adapting policies to (fast-) evolving circumstances, and highlights the perils of hubris, utopian thinking, and overconfidence in policymaking. Policy Recommendations Policymakers should prioritize flexible, evidence-based strategies that integrate public health and economic considerations. Transparent communication and regular evaluations of policy effectiveness are crucial. Additionally, fostering public trust through social welfare investments can mitigate fear and enhance resilience, ultimately supporting a balanced approach to crisis management and economic recovery. SCHOLARLY SHOWCASE Ma, Haoran, Yan Zhang, Pengyuan Liu, Fan Zhang, and Pengyu Zhu. “How does spatial structure affect psychological restoration? A method based on graph neural networks and street view imagery.” Landscape and Urban Planning 251 (2024): 105171. Focus of Study This study explores how urban spatial structure impacts psychological restoration by employing a spatial-dependent graph neural network (GNN) approach. Utilizing sequential street view images, the research constructs street-level and city-level graphs to capture visual relationships and topological structures, integrating various perceptual and socioeconomic features. The findings indicate that the GNN model significantly outperforms traditional methods, achieving an accuracy of 0.742 and an F1 score of 0.740. Results highlight that naturally relevant entities, such as trees, play a more crucial role in enhancing restoration quality than artificial structures like buildings. This research addresses gaps in prior studies that relied on isolated assessments, providing a comprehensive understanding of how spatial structures contribute to psychological restoration in urban environments. The study’s innovative approach could inform urban planning strategies aimed at improving mental well-being through enhanced environmental design. Policy Recommendations Urban planners should prioritize green infrastructure, such as parks and trees, in city designs to enhance psychological restoration. Implementing spatial structures that promote natural elements can significantly improve urban well-being. Utilizing advanced analytical methods, like graph neural networks, can guide effective urban planning decisions for healthier environments.
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