Lau Lai Man. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Motivation and Issues --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Contributions --- p.4 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Overview of Guangdong --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Geography --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- Openness --- p.9 / Chapter 2.3 --- Fiscal Decentralization --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Literature Review --- p.18 / Chapter 3.1 --- Literature on Economic Growth and Interregional Disparities --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2 --- Literature on Inter-regional Disparities in China --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Methodology --- p.27 / Chapter 4.1 --- Two concepts of convergence --- p.27 / Chapter 4.2 --- Growth Equation --- p.33 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Estimation Issues --- p.39 / Chapter 5.1 --- Panel Data Estimation --- p.39 / Chapter 5.2 --- Other Econometric Issues --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Estimation Results --- p.47 / Chapter 6.1 --- σ-convergence --- p.47 / Chapter 6.2 --- Unconditional β-Convergence --- p.49 / Chapter 6.3 --- Estimation of the Growth Equation and Conditional β-Convergence --- p.50 / Chapter 6.4 --- Summary and Interpretation of Major Findings --- p.58 / Chapter 6.5 --- Guangdong's Intra-provincial Disparities in Light of the Empirical Results --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- Conclusion and Policy Implications --- p.64 / Chapter 7.1 --- Summary of Salient Findings --- p.64 / Chapter 7.2 --- Policy Implications --- p.65 / Appendix I --- p.71 / Appendix II --- p.73 / Appendix III --- p.75 / Tables --- p.78 / Figures --- p.91 / Bibliography --- p.96