Digital Economy, Technological Innovation and Green High-Quality Development of Industry: A Study Case of China

Abstract

This research project investigates the direct and indirect influences of the digital economy in promoting the green high-quality development of industry. We analyze the baseline regression, spatial spillover effect, intermediary effect, and threshold effect of the digital economy and its technological innovation processes on the green high-quality development of industry in 31 provinces and cities in China during the period between 2012–2020. The results reveal that the digital economy generates a positive impact and nonlinear incremental character on the green high-quality development of industry, and technological innovation is the mediating factor of both. Digital economy and technological innovation have a threshold effect. When they cross the threshold value, the force will be strengthened. The econometric analysis of spatial spillover shows the green high-quality development of intra-regional and inter-regional industries is promoted by the digital economy. The dimension of regional differences in the analysis shows that the effect of the digital economy is not evident in the western region of China, while the impact is a lot more prominent in the eastern than in the middle area of the country. Study results provide measures of the green high-quality development of industry, such as the application of green scenarios, differential development, and collaborative development in the digital economy.