Evolution and prospect of financial inclusion research in China from the perspective of financial geography

Abstract

Financial inclusion is important for reducing poverty and promoting the sharing of development results. It is an important research topic in international financial geography. Based on 3421 core journal articles in the CNKI database from 2005 to 2021, this study analyzed the basic characteristics and hotspot evolution of financial inclusion research in China using knowledge map visualization techniques. The results show that: 1) Academic achievements went through three stages of slow growth, rapid growth, and accelerated growth. The research hotspots evolved through financial exclusion, financial inclusion, to digital financial inclusion, among which rural areas, regional differences, spatial patterns, and development effects were the common concerns of all stages. 2) The research on financial inclusion in China is interdisciplinary, inclusive, and open. The participation of multiple disciplines promotes the vigorous development of the research on inclusive finance. In the process of interdisciplinary integration, different disciplines have their own concerns. 3) Based on the perspective of financial geography, this study proposed future research topics such as the spatial process of financial inclusion development, cultural and economic factors and relationship networks of local financial inclusion development, the development effect of financial inclusion, and the spatiality of fintech and its potential impact.