TITLE:
Virtual Water Accounting in Northeast China Based on Multi-Regional Input-Output Analysis
AUTHORS:
Qinghua Zhang
KEYWORDS:
Virtual Water Flow, Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) Model, Northeast China
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.16 No.10,
October
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: Against the backdrop of an increasing demand for coordinated regional development and spatial optimization of water resource allocation, quantitatively evaluating virtual water flow patterns at the prefecture-level city scale across Northeast China is of critical importance for enhancing efficient allocation and collaborative management of water resources. Based on a 2017 multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model covering 36 prefecture-level cities in Northeast China, this study quantifies and examines the characteristics of inter-city and inter-sectoral virtual water flows. The results indicate that: 1) Sectoral water intensity exhibits pronounced heterogeneity. The agricultural sector has the highest direct water coefficient (0.0513 × 108 m3/108 yuan, i.e., 513.38 m3/104 yuan). Conversely, the ratios of total water consumption coefficients to direct water consumption coefficients for manufacturing and construction reach 29.77 and 17.59, respectively, demonstrating a typical pattern of “low direct consumption, high indirect inducement”. 2) Total inter-city virtual water flows reach 230 × 108 m3, accounting for 41.1% of total actual water use. This total excludes virtual water exports outside Northeast China; the region still exhibits a notable net supply characteristic. 3) Net virtual water flows exhibit a polarized pattern. The three major hub cities—Changchun, Harbin, and Dalian—have a combined net inflow of 27.99 × 108 m3, accounting for 79.2% of the total positive net inflow in the region. In contrast, 26 resource- and agriculture-based cities, including Jiamusi, Jixi, and Qiqihaer, act as major net virtual water exporters. 4) The spatial network structure exhibits strong intra-provincial agglomeration, with intra-provincial flow intensity significantly exceeding inter-provincial flows, reflecting administrative boundaries’ influence on supply chain integration and water resource constraints. These findings provide a scientific foundation for balanced spatial allocation and differentiated management of water resources across Northeast China.