Research on the Impact of the Digital Economy on China’s New-Type Urbanization: Based on Spatial and Mediation Models

Abstract

In the context of sustainable development, how the digital economy affects the development of new-type urbanization is a matter of concern. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020, this article empirically explores the effect of the digital economy on the quality of new-type urbanization development. The results show the following. (1) The digital economy can significantly improve the development quality of new-type urbanization, which is still significantly valid after a series of robustness tests. (2) The mechanism analysis shows that the upgrading of industrial structures is an important transmission path for the digital economy to improve the quality of new-type urbanization development. (3) The spatial effect analysis shows that the development of the digital economy can not only significantly improve the quality of new-type urbanization development in this region, but also improve the quality of new-type urbanization development in surrounding areas through spillover effects. (4) The heterogeneity analysis shows that the development of the digital economy in the central and western provinces of China and in the big data pilot provinces plays a greater role in promoting the quality of new-type urbanization development. It is clear that the construction of new-type urbanization should fully consider the development trend of the digital economy, seize the policy and the technological dividends brought about by the digital economy, and explore more development opportunities.