A study of the coupling between the digital economy and regional economic resilience: Evidence from China

Abstract

The contemporary economic landscape has placed significant emphasis on the digital economy and economic resilience, progressively emerging as pivotal focal points for examining the high-quality development of economic systems. However, there remains to be more research on several critical topics. This includes the characteristics of coordinated development between the digital economy and economic resilience systems and their interdependence. In response, this study formulates a comprehensive evaluative framework for digital economy development and regional economic resilience, grounded in the intrinsic mechanisms of both domains. It conducts a thorough evaluation employing entropy weight-TOPSIS methodology. Additionally, leveraging coupling theory, a coordination model’s coupling degree serves as the foundational framework for scrutinizing the symbiotic advancement of the digital economy and economic resilience, along with their interdependent nature. The research sample comprises data from 31 provinces and municipalities in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2011 to 2020. Spatial autocorrelation and Geodetector methodologies probe the evolutionary traits and driving factors underlying the coordinated developmental relationship between these two systems. The findings indicate an upward trajectory in China’s annual comprehensive development index for digital economy development (from 0.233 to 0.458) and regional economic resilience (from 0.393 to 0.497). The coupling and coordination between the two systems, measured from 0.504 in 2011 to 0.658 in 2020, demonstrate a consistent growth pattern with an average annual increase of 3.01%. These levels exhibit continuous improvement, with comprehensive economic zones manifesting hierarchical results within the coupling range of [0.5, 0.8]. Notably, agglomeration development evinces a pronounced spatial positive correlation, while local Moran scattering points are primarily concentrated in localized migration leaps. Factors such as foreign-funded enterprises’ total import and export volume, online payment capability, and fiber-optic cable length greatly influence the coupling relationship. In contrast, other variables exhibit a lower and more fluctuating degree of weighted impact. This study establishes a foundation for the synergistic and effective development of the digital economy and economic resilience within the Chinese region. Simultaneously, it offers valuable insights for research of related subjects in global contexts.