Digital Infrastructure, Spatial Spillover Effect and Total Factor Productivity
DENG Li1, LU Yang2, ZHONG Zhangqi1
1. School of Economics and Trade, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou 510006, China; 2. School of Economics, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530006, China
Abstract Taking 284 cities in China from 2007 to 2021 as examples, this paper discusses the impact of digital infrastructure on urban total factor productivity and its potential spatial spillover effects from a spatial perspective. The findings are as follows: (1) Digital infrastructure has significantly promoted the improvement of total factor productivity in local cities and promoted technological progress, scale efficiency and allocation efficiency improvements; (2) Digital infrastructure has a positive spatial spillover effect on the improvement of total factor productivity in other surrounding cities, but it is not significant in some areas. Moreover, the spatial spillover effect of digital infrastructure will gradually diminish with the increase of geographical distance, and the impact on different urban agglomerations and cities in different regions is heterogeneous; (3) Digital infrastructure can promote the improvement of urban total factor productivity and form spillover effects by promoting technology spillovers, accelerating industrial structure upgrading and integrating markets. The paper clarifies the actual effects and impact mechanisms of digital infrastructure on urban total factor productivity, providing useful references for how to effectively utilize digital infrastructure to promote economic growth and improve efficiency.
2025, Vol. 42 
