Evolution of structural resilience in China’s marine economic networks: Evidence from nationwide marine-related listed enterprises

High-resilience cities have expanded from the Bohai Rim and Yangtze River Delta to the Yangtze River Basin and inland central-western regions, while a growing north-south divide in resilience has emerged. (2) The network maintains a stable hierarchical architecture with prominent disassortative connections, which improves its shock absorption and adaptive capacity. Though nationwide factor transmission operates efficiently, persistent excessive regional agglomeration creates resilience vulnerabilities: closed industrial clusters lock regional specialization into rigid paths.

(3) Spatial differentiation across nodes is stark: core hubs hold high node degrees, whereas peripheral cities lack independent cross-regional ties. The Middle Yangtze River and Pearl River Delta maintain tight intraregional cooperation, yet factor flows stagnate along northern coasts and in northwest inland regions. Over-agglomeration hinders industrial upgrading in the Bohai Rim and Pearl River Delta, while the Yangtze River Delta achieves superior risk resistance through extensive cross-regional linkages.

This study provides actionable insights for land-sea integrated economies to incorporate inland enterprises into marine industrial chains and enhance the structural resilience of the national marine economic network.