Connotations, dilemmas, and operational paths of rural territorial spatial resources valorization: An analysis based on the three elements of spatial performance

In the process of modernizing the territorial space governance system, rural territorial space serves as a key field for the evolution of human-land relationships, and the value realization of its resources has become a core proposition for addressing the urban-rural dual structure and achieving sustainable development. This study introduces the perspective of the three elements of spatial performance, namely "cost-output-resilience". Starting from the deconstruction of the multi-dimensional attribute characteristics and the connotation of value realization of rural territorial space resources, this study clarifies the internal connection between their value realization and the improvement of spatial performance. Based on the practical dilemmas in the current value realization practice, this study constructs a logical framework for the coordinated development of the two, and further explores the operational paths for value realization. The study finds that: (1) The attributes of rural territorial spatial resources serve not only as the fundamental support for their valorization process but also as crucial constraints. The former, based on the characteristics of unbalanced development and utilization, multi-dimensional value features, and scarcity of product supply, fundamentally define the latter's logic of value composition, practical implementation paths, and potential value levels. In essence, the valorization of rural territorial space resources is the systematic identification, transformation, and manifestation of the diverse values embodied in their attributes. Thus, the two do not exist in isolation; instead, they form a tight causal chain. (2) The three core contradictions arising in the process of value realization of rural territorial space resources, namely hidden costs, inefficient utilization, and disordered factor linkage, have a clear corresponding relationship with the three elements of spatial performance improvement. Furthermore, the two are deeply coupled in terms of goal coordination, two-way dynamic interaction, and jointly dependent factors. (3) The operational paths for the value realization of rural territorial spatial resources cannot be separated from the overall consideration and coordinated promotion of the three elements of spatial performance. Specifically, the cost dimension is measured by both explicit and implicit costs to optimize decision-making; the output dimension is enhanced through improved capacity utilization to boost conversion efficiency; and the resilience dimension is strengthened by factor linkage and three-dimensional governance to mitigate systemic risks.