Comprehensive Evaluation of the Objective Quality of Life of Chinese Residents: 2006 to 2009

This study performs a comprehensive evaluation of the objective quality of life (QOL) of the 31 provincial administrative divisions in Mainland China from 2006 to 2009 with principal component analysis (PCA). The objective QOL in China generally decreases gradually from the eastern coastal regions to the western inland regions, with a significant gap between the east and the west. Furthermore, the QOL shows an irrational developmental pattern with the natural conditions and the geographical position as the foundations, and economic development as the dominant factor. Cluster analysis is then used to analyze further the regional structural characteristics of the QOL in China. The results indicate the existence of mutual distinctions and internal differentiations among the eastern, middle, and western regions. The temporal analysis shows that the QOL in China demonstrates a continuous increase from 2006 to 2009, with a growth rate that speeds up annually. However, the increase does not mean a harmonious development in all aspects of society, but the rapid progress of socio-economic well-being, and the slow development or even deterioration of eco-environment and social security. The tendencies of the QOL in the four socio-economic regions coincide with that of the national average and the QOL of the middle and western regions increase significantly faster than that of the eastern region. However, the disparities between the eastern region and the middle and western regions expand because of the huge base of regional development differences in China.