The study looked at how different regions in China grew economically from 1991 to 2007. By using a special math technique, they found that nearby regions influenced each other's growth. They saw that some regions were getting closer in terms of economic growth, while others were getting farther apart. They also found that competition between regions for things like money and city growth affected how they grew. Overall, the study showed that regions in China were not growing in isolation, but were connected and influencing each other's growth.