Abstract Based on macro data and county-level nighttime lighting data from 284 prefecture level and above cities in China from 2013 to 2021, this paper designs quasi natural experiments with the establishment of big data comprehensive pilot experimental zones as the impact. After using the overlapping double difference model to test this experiment, the study found that the establishment of big data comprehensive pilot experimental zones significantly improved the degree of urban economic development imbalance. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone plays a more significant role in balancing urban economic development in cities with lower administrative levels, central and western regions and lower economic development levels. The mechanism test indicates that big data Comprehensive Experimental area alleviates the imbalance of urban economic development by promoting urban industrial non-spatial agglomeration, optimizing urban factor allocation efficiency and promoting urban entrepreneurial activity. The conclusion of the study proves that big data Comprehensive Experimental area has positive externalities in balancing economic development and promoting common prosperity, which provides empirical evidence for the government to speed up the development of big data and promote the deep integration of data elements and the real economy.
LI Maishou,LI Hua. Can the Establishment of National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone Alleviate the Imbalance in Urban Economic Development?. Economic Survey, 2024, 41(3): 016.
2024, Vol. 41 
